A photo provided by police which they said shows Sairee Beach on the night of the incident.
KOH TAO — Police on Thursday said they would seek a warrant to arrest the editor of a news site that published accounts of an alleged sexual assault on the tourist island of Koh Tao.
The editor of the Samui Times, Suzanne Buchanan, will be charged under cybercrime laws for defaming the island’s reputation, according to Tourist Police deputy commander Maj. Gen. Surachet Hakpan, who also said police have concluded the reported assault of a British woman did not take place.
“I’d like to insist that we will never protect any crime or negligent official,” Surachet said. “But in our work today, we have only one goal: to seek the truth in order to defend Thailand’s reputation.”
Buchanan maintained her news agency investigated and reported the claim with due diligence.
“We have not heard from the police in Thailand with regards to any arrest warrants,” The editor wrote in an email. “The Samui Times was approached by the girl’s family, investigated her claims and reported accordingly as is the job of a news publication. As this is not fake news we find the allegations unfathomable.”
Surachet said an arrest warrant would also be sought for the US-based admin of CSI LA, a crowdsourced investigative Facebook page which published similar allegations.
“People who shared their content will be held liable too,” the deputy Tourist Police chief said.
According to her mother, the 19-year-old tourist was assaulted in the early hours of June 26 on Sairee Beach after she was drugged at a nearby bar. She said police on the neighboring island of Koh Phangan refused to take a report of the assault the next day.
Surachet told reporters Thursday that there was no evidence police on Koh Phangan declined to take the complaint.
He also said a police inquiry established that high tide had completely flooded Sairee beach that night, and many people were crowded into bars along it to watch World Cup matches until early morning.
“These facts led us to conclude that no drugging and rape happened,” Surachet said.
In an online message, the victim’s mother maintained the incident happened as described.
“To disregard my daughters rape is abhorrent, and I would recommend that no one travels to any part of Thailand until this despicable business has been dealt with,” she wrote in a message. “We have given a full statement to the UK police, who are also in possession of the DNA.”
Surachet said he has asked the British embassy in Bangkok to contact UK police and request that the evidence be handed over to Thai police for further investigation.
Khaosod English does not publish the names of possible victims of sexual violence.
Correction: The original version of this article misidentified Maj. Gen. Surachet Hakpan as Tourist Police chief. In fact, he is a Tourist Police deputy chief.
Cambodia's main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party Deputy President Kem Sokha gestures in 2016 during a speech at the party headquarters in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo: Heng Sinith / Associated Press
PHNOM PENH — A court in Cambodia has extended by six months the pre-trial detention of Kem Sokha, the leader of the now-dissolved main opposition party who already has been held for a year on a treason charge.
One of Kem Sokha’s lawyers says the court ruled Thursday that his continued detention was necessary for the sake of national security and further investigation.
Kem Sokha was arrested last September on the basis of videos from several years ago showing him at a seminar where he spoke about receiving advice from U.S. pro-democracy groups. His opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party denied the treason allegation, calling it politically motivated.
Another court last November dissolved the opposition party, saying it was plotting with U.S. assistance to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
CHIANG MAI — A dozen American exchange students were rescued late Wednesday night after they became lost in a national park.
Rescue personnel located the 11 hikers after they became lost near the Tak Mork Falls in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park for most of the day.
“They went out to north of the waterfall, which is extremely dangerous. During the rainy season, it’s prohibited to go into the area. We have signs everywhere. But they went up there another way and couldn’t get down,” one of the rescuers said in an online video.
The students went into the jungle at about 2pm. Five hours later, when their disappearance was reported, a search was launched at 7pm. The area the Americans had wandered into near the Nok Kok Cliff is known for dangerous and difficult terrain, including a 100-meter drop.
Search and rescue personnel parked 4 kilometers into the forest and made their way on foot to where the students were 800 meters further in, yelling at them to remain in place so as to not fall off the cliff.
“Easy no problem!” a rescuer says in the video after finding the students. “Follow me!”
The 11 students, 10 women and one man, attend Chiang Mai University. They had parked their truck by the base of a Buddha statue at Huai Tueng Thao Lake. Then they circled around a helipad used for fire suppression before getting lost.
“Is there a trail?” one of the women asks in the video.
The students cried with happiness and thanked their rescuers with wais of gratitude.
A soldier in 2016 patrols the front line near Laiza, the headquarters of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in Kachin State, Myanmar. Photo: Esther Htusan / Associated Press
YANGON, Myanmar — Myanmar has deliberately obstructed aid deliveries to civilians in war-torn Kachin and northern Shan states, actions that may amount to war crimes, a human rights groups said Thursday.
Re-ignited fighting between Myanmar’s military and an armed Kachin rebel group has killed thousands of civilians and displaced over 100,000 since 2011. The Kachin Independence Army is one of several ethnic rebel groups the military has been battling since Myanmar’s independence from Britain 70 years ago.
Thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes since a fresh offensive began in April that has renewed concerns Myanmar’s army is creating a humanitarian crisis in Kachin similar to the one caused by its violence against Rohingya Muslims in the western state of Rakhine.
Human rights group Fortify Rights said civilians displaced by the Kachin violence suffered “increased food insecurity, avoidable health-related deaths, poor living conditions, and protection concerns” due to the lack of essential aid.
“Consecutive governments and the military have willfully obstructed local and international aid groups, denying Kachin civilians access to aid,” Fortify Rights chief executive Matthew Smith said in a statement accompanying the group’s report. “This may amount to a war crime, giving even more reason for the U.N. Security Council to refer Myanmar to the International Criminal Court.”
“There is no food for people on the border,” said Zau Raw, who is displaced in an area controlled by the rebels. He told the human rights group he witnessed Myanmar soldiers take money from aid trucks then block their deliveries. “They block everything. All trucks that are trying to cross into KIA-controlled areas are blocked.”
Fortify Rights said Myanmar authorities should allow humanitarian access for local and international aid groups to deliver relief.
The United States in mid-August intensified its sanctions against Myanmar, blacklisting four commanders and two units of security forces for their alleged role in violent campaigns against ethnic minorities including Rohingya Muslims and the Kachin, who are largely Christian.
A U.N. investigating team reported earlier this week that Myanmar’s top generals should face prosecution for crimes against humanity and war crimes in Kachin, Rakhine, and Shan states. The investigators said Myanmar authorities “frequently and arbitrarily denied” humanitarian aid to civilians in Kachin.
Government spokesman Zaw Htay said earlier this week the government did not accept the U.N. team’s findings. Calls to Zaw Htay to seek comment on the Fortify Rights report were not answered Thursday.
Combined Koreas' Kim Hanbyul, right, drives past Taiwan's Chen Yuchun during their women's basketball semifinal match Thursday at Istora Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia. Photo: Dita Alangkara / Associated Press
JAKARTA — A combined Koreas team reinforced by WNBA center Park Ji-su has reached the women’s basketball final at the Asian Games after an 89-66 win over Taiwan.
The team, featuring three North Koreans and nine players from the South, will take on either Japan or China for the gold medal after overturning their two-point overtime loss to Taiwan in the group stage.
Canoeists competing in three dragon boat crews won the first medals for the combined Koreas teams, including the first gold, and there are high expectations the basketball team will deliver another gold.
The South Koreans are defending champions and have been bolstered by players from the North.
Park Ji-su joined the group after completing her season with the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA and made her first court appearance in the second quarter.
She finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
North Korean Ro Suk Yong, captain Lim Yung-hui and Park Hye-jin all had 17 points.
“This is a result that everyone achieved by playing together with one goal and one spirit,” Ro was quoted as saying by Yonhap, the South Korean news agency.
“Their support gives me lots of energy,” Ro said of the supporters who waved the “unification” flag and chanted for the Koreas during the game. “As we stay united, we went to the final. It makes me emotional.”
The canoe medals – a gold and two bronze – have been awarded to Korea, as the joint teams in rowing, canoeing and basketball have been named at the games.
After the women’s crew won the 500-meter title in the dragon boats, the folk song Arirang played instead of the official national anthem for North Korea or South Korea and the “unification” flag, which features the outline of the Korean peninsula in blue on a white background, was raised during the medal ceremony.
The medals are awarded to Korea – the name for the joint teams that are entered in rowing, canoeing and women’s basketball – rather than being added to the tally of either North or South Korea.
The Koreas, still technically at war after their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice, have fielded 60 athletes in combined teams in the three sports along with larger contingents for their respective national squads.
In the first of 10 finals on the last day of track and field competition, Japan’s Hayato Katsuki won the 50-kilometer walk in 4 hours, 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Wang Qin of China was three minutes back in second place, and South Korea’s Joo Hyun-myeong took bronze.
Monsoon rains may flood the streets but they can’t stop folks in the capital from heading out for a concert or club night. Hell-to the-naw. As a matter of fact, things have been stupid with good nights to enjoy.
Two weeks ago legendary goth-industrial act Nine Inch Nails rocked Moonstar Studio, followed by Thai-Dutch dub group Apichat Pakwan dazzling their Thai fans with a three gig tour this past weekend.
To top that off, new joints such as Illionaire Hip Hop Lounge and Bangkok Island are opening, while the tarnished glory of Beam Club is getting polished anew with a renovation that will be shown off September 15 with a relaunch party.
Things aren’t slowing down this weekend. Folks can expect to groove to house beats from T. Williams from the U.K, enjoy a riverside rave party by the Kolour crew (just go easy on the dry-humping) or even an intimate night of wobbly dubstep bass lines.
That said, here are some of my picks for what to check out this weekend.
Friday – T. Williams – Safe Room
Photo: Courtesy
T. Williams has come a long way since producing grime music and calling himself Dread D. For T. Williams it was a desire to head to greener party pastures that eventually led to him ditching dark bass and beats for house music’s warmer, funkier rhythms.
“I just wanted to party, and there was nowhere to party to grime.” he said, in an interview with Resident Advisor in 2011.
Since making the move, T. Williams has earned serious accolades, including being voted DJ Mag’s Beat Breakthrough DJ. Last year, his track “Together” reached No. 10 on the Traxsource charts. Besides collaborating with the likes of Kenny Dope, Shadow Child and UK house legend Julio Bashmore, T. Williams has always kept his beats fresh and exciting with a wide array of sounds. From deep, funky American-style house – he’s released on famed US label Strictly Rhythm – to bass-heavy UK Funky beats, which he’s released on top-tier labels such as PMR and Conch.
T. Williams makes his Bangkok debut Friday night at Safe Room. He will also be joined by UK House Duo Kama Sounds and DJ Orawan. Tickets are 450 baht online or at the venue. Doors Doors open at 10pm. Safe Room is located on Soi Silom 8, a five-minute walk from BTS Sala Daeng.
Friday – Myrne – Violett
Myrne / Courtesy
Myrne touches down in Bangkok to give his fans a taste of his signature future pop, R&B and electronica. Since releasing his “Softsins” EP on Diplo’s Mad Decent label in 2015, the Singaporean’s career has skyrocketed. Today, in addition to creating chart-topping tunes, Myrne headlines prestigious festivals such as Ultra Miami and Tomorrowland in Belgium.
Myrne performs Friday at Violett on Thonglor. Supporting the event are Zamasta, Bvbyscsh and Paka. Presale tickets are still 290 baht and include one drink, or 400 baht at the club. Violett opens at 9pm and is located at The Third Place Building in Soi Thonglor 10, a short ride from BTS Thong Lo.
Saturday – Kllo – De Commune
Photo: Allan Weedon
Australian duo Kllo are cousins Chloe Kaul and Simon Lam. Since 2014, the two have made waves producing soulful beats that take cues from R&B, house and UK Garage. Their debut 2014 EP “Cusp” has been streamed by millions. The two regularly headline festivals and will bring synths and vocals to De Commune on Saturday.
De Commune is located on the first floor of Liberty Plaza near the top of Thonglor.
Saturday – BKRAS DJ Woken Farewell – 12×12
Be Woken from BKRAS. Be Woken and DJ K9 been been promoting reggae parties for years now. Be Woken is taking a break from DJing and plans to produce music full time – back in his native New Zealand. The BKRAS gang will have one last session Saturday.
BKRAS DJ Woken Farewell goes down at 12×12, which is between Ekkamai and Thonglor. Get there via Soi Ekkamai 19 or Thara Rom 2 from the Thonglor side. The party starts at 9pm for 200 baht per person.
Saturday – Kolour Anniversary – Yodpiman River Walk
Kolour / Courtesy
What started seven years ago as small Sunday afternoon parties has grown to large-scale raves and festivals. If there’s any crew that know how to throw a party, it has to be the folks at Kolour. Maybe even to the point that event organizer Coran Maloney got into some hot water over some dirty dancing at his recent shindig , Kolour Beachside party in Pattaya. But hey, ain’t nothing wrong with a little bump and grind between consenting adults. Kolour is now considered a mainstay of Bangkok’s scene. This weekend, the Kolour crew return to thank their fans with an anniversary party where it all started – overlooking the banks of the mighty Chao Phraya. Well, more like at Mango Tree on the River at Yodpiman. The event boasts two stages and will see the likes of of Author and Rai Soul, Dan Buri, Jam on Toast, Ekception, Tim Roamer and Soi Dogs. Expect a lot of house and techno.
Kolour 7 Year Anniversary starts Saturday afternoon at Mango Tree on the River at Yodpiman River Walk. Entry is free 3pm to 5pm, 250 baht 5pm to 7pm and 400 baht thereafter.
The hotel is in the old quarter a short walk from the river’s Atsadang Pier.
Saturday – Oriental Sub Sessions – Jam
Photo: Courtesy
It wouldn’t be fair to leave out some of the smaller gigs going on. Dubstep hasn’t been getting the attention it deserves, so it’s refreshing to see newbs like DJ/promoter Ozram stepping up to the plate. This Saturday, Ozram and his homies Zatkid and Curator will dish out the kind of big beats and deep, wobbly bass that would appease Jah Rastafari himself.
Oriental Sub Sessions #1 with Ozram and Friends takes places September 1 at Jam. Entry is Free. Doors Open at 9pm
Jam is located off lower Sathon Road, a few-minutes walk from BTS Surasak exit No. 2.
Until next time, Dub be good to you.
Correction: A previous version of this story mistakenly identified two events as happening Sunday. They all go down Friday or Saturday as indicated.
Yu Klanked, 99, told reporters Wednesday how he was recruited by Japanese soldiers to help repair Chulalongkorn Bridge after it was destroyed by the Allied bombing in 1942.
RATCHABURI — For seven decades, Ratchaburi province residents have coexisted peacefully with a cluster of Allied bombs lodged in their riverbed. That truce is now over.
Provincial officials said Thursday the unexploded ordnance – bombs said to be 1,000 pounds (about 450 kilogram) each – must be removed by year’s end to make way for a new railway line. A deputy governor warned the effort would be difficult, hampered by the river’s depth and a lack of knowledge about the WWII-era bombs.
“We’re not sure what type of bombs they are. We have to search for more information,” Veerat Prasetto said in an interview. “If something goes wrong, it would cause a huge impact.”
Veerat added that officials aren’t sure how many bombs there are. The townspeople have long thought there were three, but experts believe there could be up to five, he said.
“According to the plan made by the State Railway of Thailand, they want to start [the removal] before New Year,” the official said. “But I think it could be postponed. Safety must come first.”
The bombs were dropped during Allied air raids on Ratchaburi province after Japan invaded Thailand in December 1941 and pressured the country to join its war against Western powers.
The raids targeted Chulalongkorn Bridge over the Mae Klong River, which would allow Japanese troops’ passage to Burma. The bridge was struck and destroyed in February 1942.
Yu Klanked, 99, told reporters he was one of the local men the Japanese recruited to help repair the bridge. The first attempt failed, causing a locomotive to fall into the river. The Japanese officer in charge of the repair then showed his responsibility by committing seppuku, or self-disembowelment, Yu said. His body was buried at a local temple.
The bridge was eventually repaired, and now the railway authority wants to build a new dual-track bridge parallel to it. Once the bombs are out of the way, of course.
“They have been there for all these years,” deputy governor Veerat said. “When the tide is low, you can see the bomb’s fin.”
Can’t they just build the bridge over them and hope they don’t explode? Veerat said railway officials fear the public would not dare ride the line if the bombs remain buried beneath the track.
A meeting with different military units was set to take place Sep. 10, including the navy’s underwater demolition team, to settle once and for all who would take the lead, Veerat said.
“At first we talked to the army. The army said it’s underwater, so we had to call in the navy,” he said. “Then the navy said it’s an airborne bomb, so we have to ask the air force.”
Jordan's Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights speaks at ACANU at the European headquarters Wednesday of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Wednesday. Photo: Jamey Keaten / Associated Preww
GENEVA — Threatened U.S. funding cuts wouldn’t be “fatal” for his office, the United Nations’ human rights chief said Wednesday, but he added that he hoped other countries won’t follow suit.
Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein insisted “the office will continue to survive” even if the U.S. carries out the promise made by U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton in an interview with The Associated Press last week.
Zeid told reporters Wednesday that “clearly what one doesn’t want to see is a whole series of withdrawals and withdrawal of funding.”
Bolton’s pledge that the U.S. will cut funding to the rights office and the U.N.’s top human rights body was the latest Trump administration salvo against U.N. institutions. The U.S. is the U.N.’s largest single donor, providing about 22 percent of its budget, and the rights office gets much of its funding through the general U.N. budget.
But Bolton’s warning about the budgetary axe didn’t deter the rights chief, who gained praise from many human rights advocates for being outspoken and unafraid to challenge governments, from reiterating his concerns about President Donald Trump’s rhetoric.
Zeid, who is a Jordanian prince, repeated his previous concerns about Trump’s “very worrisome” attacks on journalists.
He added that “the conduct of the president should be under very careful scrutiny by the international community, by this office” during the upcoming mid-term election cycle in the United States.
The comments came at a wide-ranging news conference before the expiry of Zeid’s four-year term at the end of this month. He will be replaced as U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights by former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet.
He also expressed concerns about rising far-right nationalism in Europe, and noted recent reports by U.N. investigators that condemned abuses in places like Yemen, Myanmar and Nicaragua. He said he would urge his successor to be outspoken when she sees rights abuses around the world.
He also reviewed his tenure, pointing to new U.N. human rights monitoring offices set up in that time in countries including Honduras and South Korea, a post to monitor possible abuses in the North.
South Korea's Lee Seung-woo, left, celebrates his goal with teammate Son Heung-min Wednesday after scoring during their men's semifinal soccer match against Vietnam at the 18th Asian Games in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. Photo: Lee Jin-man / Associated Press
JAKARTA — Tottenham forward Son Heung-min will get one more shot at an exemption from military service after helping South Korea reach the final at the Asian Games.
Son took leave from the Premier League to join the South Korea squad in Indonesia in pursuit of an Asian Games title. He figured a short break now could save him two seasons on the sidelines later.
The South Korean government rewards Asian Games gold medals and Olympic medals of any kind with an exemption from the compulsory 21-month national service. Failing that, the 26-year-old Son would have to report for duty within the next couple of years.
Lee Seung-woo scored twice and Hwang Ui-jo added to his tournament tally to give defending champion South Korea a 3-0 lead in Wednesday’s semifinals at Pakan Sari Stadium before Tran Minh Vuong pulled one back for Vietnam with a well-taken free kick in the 70th minute.
Son was replaced two minutes later and South Korea hung on for a 3-1 win to advance to Saturday’s final against Japan, which beat United Arab Emirates 1-0.
“Nah, the game was too late … was difficult to watch but I was very happy (for) my team,” he said.
That goes for Spurs, and for South Korea. In a response to a question about an exemption from military service, Son said only that he was “happy to make the history” in what would be a win-win for himself and his country.
“I think the players mentally, we are close to win, and close to gold,” Son said. “We fight for that, I don’t need to say anything, you know, I’m ready for that … to make history.”
China maintained its top spot in the track and field standings with one day to go in athletics competition with golds in both the 20-kilometer walks.
World champion Yang Jiayu held off 2012 Olympic silver medalist Qieyang Shijie to win in a games record 1 hour, 29 minutes, 15 seconds in the women’s race and Wang Kaihua won the men’s title.
India moved up to third on the track behind China (11 golds) and Bahrain (9) after collecting its fourth and fifth gold medals from Arpinder Singh in the triple jump and Swapna Barman in the heptathlon.
The medalists in the women’s 200 meters finished in the same order as the 100, with Edidiong Odiong of Bahrain winning in 22.96 seconds. Dutee Chand of India and Wei Yongli of China followed.
Yuki Koike of Japan won the men’s 200 in 20.23 in a photo finish, beating Yang Chun-han of Taiwan.
Ehsan Hadadi of Iran, the 2012 Olympic silver medalist, won his fourth straight Asian Games discus gold medal with a best throw of 65.71 meters.
In co-host city Palembang, Japan won three of the four gold medals in skateboarding with teenagers Sakura Yosozumi and Kensuke Sasaoke providing a next-generation entree to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with victories in the park final discipline.
Indonesian 12-year-old Bunga Nyimas won bronze in the street final behind Margie Didal of Philippines. World Cup bronze medalist Keyaki Ike won the men’s street final.
Skateboarding will debut on the sports program at the Olympics in Tokyo.
China won the artistic swimming team free routine title for the fourth consecutive games, taking gold ahead of Japan and North Korea.
After 352 finals, China had an almost insurmountable lead in the medal standings with 101 golds and 217 overall. Japan was next with 51 gold medals and 161 overall.
Hong Kong University mechanical engineering associate professor Cheung Kie-chung attends a radio program in 2015 in Hong Kong. Photo: Associated Press
HONG KONG — A Hong Kong university professor was charged with his wife’s murder on Wednesday, a day after her decomposing body was found inside a suitcase in his campus office, reports said.
Hong Kong University mechanical engineering associate professor Cheung Kie-chung was taken away by police on Tuesday, according to the South China Morning Post and other news media.
Cheung, 53, had reported that his 52-year-old wife walked out after an argument on Aug. 17. She was believed to have been dead for several days when her body was found Tuesday dressed only in her underwear with an electric wire around her neck suggesting strangulation, Singapore’s Straits Times newspaper reported.
The Post said a post-mortem examination was being conducted to ascertain the exact cause of death.
Despite Cheung’s claim, there was no security camera footage showing his wife, who was not named in the reports, leaving the dormitory where she lived with her husband and an adult daughter and son. He was later seen leaving with a wooden box, the reports said, adding that the suitcase containing the body had been encased inside a sealed wooden box.
Cheung’s arrest came days after the start of the trial in Hong Kong of an anesthesiologist charged with killing his wife and daughter by placing a leaking yoga ball filled with deadly carbon monoxide in their car.
Malaysian citizen Khaw Kim-sun, 53, was allegedly having an affair and had become estranged from his wife and four children, although they continued to live together. Khaw, who has pleaded not guilty, was arrested in September.
