12 Dead in Fast-Moving New York City Apartment Fire

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29 December 2017, 10:57

Bronx Fire — Firefighters respond to a building fire Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017, in the Bronx borough of New York. Photo: Frank Franklin II / AP

NEW YORK — Twelve people were killed and four more were seriously injured and fighting for their lives late Thursday in a fast-moving fire at an apartment building on a frigid night in the Bronx, according to New York City’s mayor.

The victims included a child around a year old, Mayor Bill de Blasio said during a briefing outside the building.

“We may lose others as well,” he said.

Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro called the fire, “historic in its magnitude,” because of the number of lives lost.

“Our hearts go out to every person who lost a loved one here and everyone who is fighting for their lives,” he said.

The blaze broke out at a five-story building, a block from the grounds of the Bronx Zoo.

About 170 firefighters worked in bone-chilling cold, just 15 degrees, to rescue people from the building. Water sprayed from hoses froze into ice on the street.

The fire began on the first floor just before 7 p.m. and quickly ripped through much of the building, officials said.

Neighborhood resident Robert Gonzalez, who has a friend who lives in the building, said she got out on a fire escape as another resident fled with five children.

“When I got here, she was crying,” Gonzalez said.

Windows on some upper floors were smashed and blackened.

“The smoke was crazy, people screaming, ‘Get out!,” a witness, Jamal Flicker, told the New York Post. “I heard a woman yelling, ‘We’re trapped, help!”

According to city records, the building had no elevator. Fire escapes were visible on the facade of the building.

One of the deadliest fires in recent city memory happened elsewhere in the Bronx in 2007. Nine children and one adult died in a blaze sparked by a space heater.

Army Honors Toon Bodyslam’s Soldier Bodyguards

By

Teeranai Charuvastra, News Chief

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28 December 2017, 17:35

Army chief Chalermchai Sitthisart, at center, poses for a photo Thursday with Anulak Kaewchano and Supit Jintharat at the army HQ in Bangkok

BANGKOK — A pair of soldiers who accompanied rocker Toon Bodyslam on his epic cross-country charity run were honored by the army in a ceremony Thursday.

For serving as bodyguards to Toon, who raised over 1 billion baht for public hospitals, Anulak Kaewchano and Supit Jintharat were given certificates and are eligible for further distinctions. It’s the latest effort by the military to latch onto the immense capital Toon has gained from his fundraising quest, which won the hearts of millions.

The certificates, which thanked Master Sgt. Anulak and Sgt. Supit for benefiting the reputation for the armed forces, were given by army chief Chalermchai Sitthisart at army headquarters in the capital.

Read: Toon is Messiah, Heartthrob, Martyr in This Stunning Fan Art

Anulak is a military police officer from the 42nd Army Circle and Supit serves in the special forces with the Fourth Region Army.

“P’Toon always said he’s not a hero because he only ran for 55 days,” Supit said at the award ceremony, according to reports. “But doctors and nurses have been running before him, and they have to run for the rest of their lives, so they are the real heroes.”

Media reports that the pair may be promoted by two ranks were disputed by a senior army officer. The officer, who requested not to be named because he’s “tired of being misquoted by the media,” said that while the army is deliberating on further rewards, no conclusion has been reached.

The army met with backlash Tuesday when it announced that a military plane would be dispatched to fly Toon and his team back to Bangkok. Many on social media accuse the armed forces of trying to piggyback on the rock star’s fame. Toon turned down the offer.

But that didn’t seem to leave any bitter taste for army chief Chalermchai, who told reporters he admired Toon’s philantropist spirit and said the army would give him “anything” requested.

Zimbabwe Family at BKK to Be Put in Detention Center

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Asaree Thaitrakulpanich, Staff Reporter

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28 December 2017, 16:17

Suvarnabhumi Airport in a file photo. Photo: Jithesh / Flickr

SAMUT PRAKAN — Thai immigration authorities said Thursday they would move a Zimbabwean family stuck for months at Suvarnabhumi International Airport to a detention center in downtown Bangkok.

Two days after an airport employee brought attention to the plight of the eight-member family, a deputy immigration police chief said the family would be moved to the Immigration Detention Center in Bangkok’s Suan Phlu area, a facility where refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented immigrants and their families are held for years at a time.

Read: The Terminal: Zimbabwe Family Stuck 3 Months at BKK Airport

Col. Cherngron Rimapdee said the UNHCR is attempting to find a third-party country where the family can stay as refugees.

“The UNHCR has accepted this case into our care,” Panupat Danpanich, an assistant liaison officer with UNHCR Thailand, said Thursday. “We cannot comment on the details of their case to protect the privacy of the individuals, but we are definitely finding the best solution for them.”

A Nov. 14 UNHCR letter about the family’s status obtained by Khaosod English indicates it was aware of their situation and had notified the Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry.

The Zimbabwean family consists two men, two women and four children. The children are three boys and a girl, aged between 2 and 11. Cherngron said Ukraine International Airlines, which was previously forced to return the family to Thailand, has been paying for their food.

Immigration police said the four adults and four children first arrived in Thailand in May. They attempted to leave in October, at which point they became stuck at the airport.

Thailand does not recognize refugee status, even when conferred by the United Nations. Thousands of asylum seekers and refugees live in the capital’s margins, unable to work and at risk of arrest, while they await resettlement in a third country. Cases can languish for years at a time.

Read: Lives Interrupted for Asylum Seekers Facing Desperation, Detention in Thailand

Cherngron said the family first attempted to leave Thailand on Oct. 23 for Barcelona but were barred from boarding at passport control because they had overstayed their Thai visas by five months, according to Cherngron.

Thai authorities then attempted to send the family back to Zimbabwe, but they refused, Cherngron said, claiming their home country was unstable and unsafe.

There is currently no open conflict in the southern African nation, but in November the military seized control to oust longtime strongman Robert Mugabe from power after 37 years in power. It installed former Mugabe ally and vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa as president.

Some on social media contested that their nation was unsafe.

“I’m tweeting from Zimbabwe. There is no instability to speak of,” @ElijahMinana tweeted. “Economic challenges – yes. The country is calm, & as we head for elections, politicians are campaigning in a peaceful atmosphere. Zimbabweans do their country a disservice when they lie about its circumstances.”

On Nov. 7, the family tried to board a Ukraine International Airlines flight to Mauritania connecting through Ukraine and Spain. After flying to Ukraine, they were barred from boarding the onward flight to Spain because they did not have the necessary documents to enter Spain, Cherngron said.

I’m tweeting from Zimbabwe. There is no instability to speak of. Economic challenges – yes. The country is calm, & as we head for elections, politicians are campaigning in a peaceful atmosphere. Zimbabweans do their country a disservice when they lie about its circumstances

— Elijah Minana (@ElijahMinana) December 28, 2017

The family was sent back to Thailand on Nov. 13. Back at the airport, they could not re-enter the kingdom because they had overstayed their previous Thai visas.

About 10 passengers stay in Suvarnabhumi Airport’s Detention Room per day. Most stay for hours, but some stay for months, according to Airline Operators Committee Director Louis Moser.

“The family has been sleeping in the detention room, which the airport and immigration police have set aside for them. We were afraid that staying in common areas could be inconvenient for them, especially since they have small children too,” Moser said.

‘Stick to Your Goals’ to Win Support, King’s Adviser Urges

By

Teeranai Charuvastra, News Chief

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28 December 2017, 13:50

Prem Tinsulanonda, chairman of the king's Privy Council at left, receives a gift basket from junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, who serves as prime minister.

BANGKOK — The chairman of the king’s advisory council showered the ruling junta Thursday with his praise and support.

Per annual tradition, the regime met with privy councilor and former premiere Prem Tinsulanonda to pay their respects and seek a New Year’s blessing. And blessing they got when Prem suggested the public would be on the side of junta chairman Prayuth “Tuu” Chan-ocha as long as he keeps working for the greater good.

“Tuu has used up nearly all of his reserve forces. He barely has any reserves yet,” 97-year-old Gen. Prem said. “But if you show the goodwill you have for the Thai people, more reserves will show up. Therefore, please stick to your goals, so that you will have more reserves.”

Prem, who served as military-backed prime minister from 1980 to 1988, also praised the junta members for “exhausting” themselves in their efforts.

“I’d like to express my admiration and pride for the works that Tuu’s government has done,” he told the stack of generals present at his residence. “I’d like to also stress on Tuu’s words that he will bring happiness to Thai people. He must commit to this goal, no matter how exhausted he is.”

Prayuth was accompanied by key members of his junta and cabinet, including deputy junta chairman Prawit Wongsuwan, police chief Chakthip Chaijinda and Prime Minister’s Office secretary-general Vilas Arunsri.

The regime’s visit to Prem’s residence is closely watched by political observers due to Prem’s formidable status as an influential military man and personal advisor to His Majesty the King. Prem was also widely respected by the military faction that was the dominant power center before Prayuth’s cadre assumed power following the 2014 coup.

Prem joked cordially with the visiting officials after the formal greetings and speeches were over.

To Gen. Vilas, the elderly general teased that he might be capable of serving as prime minister one day.

“You can easily become a prime minister because you work closely with Prayuth,” Prem said.

He also shared some moments with Prawit, the junta strongman who’s weathering a scandal over his displays of unusual and unexplained wealth in the form of ultra-luxury watches.

“Pom, you’re fine? You’re still strong?” Prem asked, using Prawit’s nickname. The junta No. 2 nodded and politely replied, “Yes, I am still strong.”

When Prayuth put in that 72-year-old Prawit is suffering from so-called trigger finger, a painful medical condition which forces him to wear bandages, the amused Prem asked Prawit if he’d had a fistfight with anyone recently.

“With myself, sir,” Prawit said, drawing laughs.

Tak High Schoolers Dress Up as Hogwarts Students (Photos)

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Asaree Thaitrakulpanich, Staff Reporter

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28 December 2017, 11:43

Homeroom 6/11 Matthayom 6 class of Sapphawitthayakhom School dressed up in Harry Potter cloaks Wednesday in Tak. Photo: Atchira Panyathep / Courtesy

TAK — As a chill gripped the kingdom, a scrappy class of high school seniors turned their school near the Myanmar border into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on Thursday.

A photo of a Matthayom 6 class at Sapphawitthayakhom School in Tak province’s Mae Sot district dressed in Harry Potter-style cloaks went viral online last night. On Thursday, a teacher and student explained why they chose the Potter theme for their senior class costumes.

“Our school has a tradition where Matthayom 6 classes get to dress up in costumes. We chose Harry Potter cloaks because they can be worn over other clothes and they also block against the cold and the wind,” Methas Jukasem, 18, said. “Plus, some of my classmates really like Harry Potter.”

Methas said his class divided into houses – for the unversed, that’s Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin – and ordered the cloaks online.

Not only did their their homeroom teacher approve, but he fully supported their initiative.

“I think it was a good way for children to express their imagination. This was all entirely their idea,” Atchira Panyathep, the group’s homeroom teacher said Thursday. “They asked me to order the cloaks for them, saying, ‘I want mine to be blue ka, I want mine to be yellow.”

For their final exams Wednesday, Methas said the class really wanted to come together and take pictures on their last day of school. As for the internet attention, Methas said his class is surprised but happy.

“I was pretty shocked, but happy too. It’s just us taking some photos,” Methas said, laughing. “If anyone copies us, that’s good because doing this is both cute and creative.”

Methas Jukasem, 18, said that his class initially thought of wearing Chinese clothes since they study advanced Chinese, but some of the students couldn’t fit into qipaos.

“When everyone wore the cloaks, it showed their teamwork and really brought them together as a class,” their proud teacher said.

29928 e1514436083567 — Photo: Atchira Panyathep / Courtesy

29927 e1514436092581 — Photo: Atchira Panyathep / Courtesy

29921 e1514436152214 — Photo: Atchira Panyathep / Courtesy

29924 e1514436125769 — Photo: Atchira Panyathep / Courtesy

29925 e1514436132671 — Photo: Atchira Panyathep / Courtesy

Police Intercept Activist With Cheap Seiko For Gen. Prawit

By

Teeranai Charuvastra, News Chief

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28 December 2017, 10:04

Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan speaks at a January 2016 news conference. Image: Matichon

BANGKOK — Ekachai Hongkangwan may have no love for the junta deputy junta chairman currently besieged by a scandal involving his collection of luxury watches, but the activist said Thursday that he sympathized with the general as a fellow watch lover.

That was the rationale Ekachai gave for attempting to block a junta motorcade Wednesday morning: to present Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan with a new watch as a New Year’s gift. For his latest stunt, Ekachai was detained by police, though the activist said he was told no charges would be filed.

“Right now Prawit is facing a big backlash. He likes wearing watches, I understand his feeling,” Ekachai said by phone from the Thewet Intersection police box, where he was being held. “Now that his watches have become big news, he has stopped wearing them. It feels like something is missing.”

Read: Watch Watch: Seven Bling Timepieces and Counting

He continued, “If he wears [the expensive watches], it would be big news. I sympathize with him, so I wanted to give him a cheap watch. If he wears my cheap watch, no one would care.”

His would-be late Christmas present? A Seiko wristwatch worth less than 3,000 baht.

Ekachai, a former lese majeste convict who’s had numerous run-ins with law enforcement for his political stunts, said he learned that Prawit and his boss, junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha, were to visit former premier and influential military elder Gen. Prem Tinsulanonda at his residence today, so he went there to await their entourage.

Once he spotted the motorcade he believed carrying Prawit and Prayuth, Ekachai said he jumped in front of the oncoming cars, drawing an immediate police response. He was being held at the police box near Gen. Prem’s residence as of press time.

”They carried me away right there and then,” Ekachai said. “They dragged me away, basically.”

Samsen Police Station chief Preecha Kongkaew denied any knowledge of Ekachai’s arrest.

He served nearly three years on a lese majeste conviction and has previously been arrested for petitioning the government to look for the missing 1932 revolution plaque, attempting to restore the plaque and other activities. In October, he was whisked out of Bangkok by security forces after publicly vowing to wear red on the day King Rama IX was cremated.

Prawit, the 72-year-old junta strongman, has been under pressure to explain how he acquired a great number of multi-million baht watches and why he did not declare them among his mandatory asset disclosures as required by anti-graft law.

Since his first watch was spotted during a Cabinet photoshoot on Dec. 4, a review of photos crowd-sourced online has revealed what appear to be at least nine other ultra-luxury watches worn by Prawit.

As late as Tuesday, Gen. Prawit has steadfastly refused to answer questions about the collection.

“Oy!” he grunted to reporters who shot questions at the Defense Ministry and walked away.

Ekachai, the activist, said he was willing to give up his own Seiko for Prawit. Ekachai said he bought it 10 years ago for under 3,000 baht – qualifying it as a gift under a law that bans political office holders from receiving presents valued at over 3,000 baht.

He said police told him they would not charge him with any crime.

Cadet Death: Little Progress in Police Inquiry

By

Teeranai Charuvastra, News Chief

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27 December 2017, 17:43

Pakapong Tanyakan poses in a photo on Aug. 16 with his parents at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School in Nakhon Nayok province. Image: Sukanya Tanyakan / Facebook

BANGKOK — Over two months have passed since military cadet Pakapong Tanyakan died at his academy, but police said Wednesday they have yet to identify the cause of death or hold anyone responsible.

Police launched a criminal investigation into Pakapong’s death after his family, which suspects foul play, filed a complaint on Dec. 19. As of today, police still had not completed the most basic inquiry – a detailed autopsy – a fact they blamed on bureaucratic red tape.

“We are waiting for a case file from Baan Na station. We don’t have that yet,” Col. Kosit Boonthawee, chief of Nakhon Nayok City Police Station, said over the phone.

Read: Family of Dead Cadet File Police Complaint

But Baan Na police station deputy head Kitti Tansiang said it Kosit’s unit is responsible for the case file.

“They haven’t sent it from [Nayok] city station. We have to wait for it,” Lt. Col. Kitti said. “I think they will send it soon.”

Asked why he wouldn’t just simply phone Kosit and settle the issue, Kitti said it would be rude.

“We don’t dare hurry them up. They’re already working on it,” he said.

Nakhon Nayok provincial police commander Wattana Yeejin said the complication stems from two police stations having to coordinate. The city station is in charge of compiling the autopsy report, while Baan Na is responsible for the criminal investigation and establishing whether there is a culprit in Pakapong’s death.

Neither station has completed its work so far.

Case files from both stations must be combined before investigators can pursue any possible charges with the prosecutor, Wattana said, adding that police were working as fast as they could.

“They are almost done,” Maj. Gen. Wattana said.

Pakapong’s sister, Supicha Tanyakan, who frequently speaks to the media, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Pakapong died in October at 19 from what the military described as “sudden heart failure” one day after returning to the Armed Forces Preparatory School from a break.

Pakapong’s family lashed out during the weekend after an internal army investigation ruled it blameless in Pakapong’s death. Investigators said he died of a heart condition and that abuse – which the family suspected – had not been a factor.

They said a broken rib found in the teen was caused when the cadet fell down eight flights of stairs.

The family first raised its suspicions last month after discovering Pakapong’s body had been returned to them with a number of vital organs missing, including his brain and heart.

The military blocked a civilian investigation and the results of an independent autopsy completed earlier this month were kept secret.

More Info on 4-Year Professional Visas Coming Next Month

By

Asaree Thaitrakulpanich, Staff Reporter

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27 December 2017, 17:29

BANGKOK — Expert expats with high salaries can apply for four-year professional visas starting in mid-January.

That’s when a long-awaited program offering visas that can be extended by four years at a time will be made available to foreigners earning 200,000 baht per month and up.

“More than any other type of visa, the Smart Visa will give the most benefits and privileges,” said Lt. Col. Thanarak Boonyaratkarin of the Immigration Bureau Police. “You will be able to stay for a long time and bring your family over.”

Starting in January, foreigners who meet the Smart Visa’s requirements can apply for them at Thai Embassies in their respective countries or the One-Stop Service Center for Visas and Work Permits at Chamchuri Square in Bangkok.

To be eligible for the Smart Visa, a foreigner must earn more than 200,000 baht a month in specialized industries such as tech, robotics, health care and more. The goal, Thanarak said, is to attract entrepreneurs and experts with technical know-how to stay in Thailand longer.

Instead of checking in with immigration every 90 days, Smart Visa holders only need to check in annually. They also are not required to obtain a work permit, according to a government website.

Smart Visa holders can be investors or entrepreneurs in said specialized industries to qualify for visas of two to four years, depending on their field.

Investors must have their investments approved by the Thailand Board of Investment.

The specialized fields are 10 fields identified by the government in its technology push under the so-called Thailand 4.0 initiative. Five are existing industries: automotives, electronics, medical tourism, agritech and food technology.

Looking toward the future, the other five industries are robotics, aviation and logistics, biochem, digital technology and medical services, equipment and pharmaceuticals.

The Smart Visa plan was first proposed in March 2016 by an umbrella federation of trade groups to attract investment and foreign talent.

Instead of one-year extensions, Smart Visa holders will be eligible for four-year periods. Spouses and children of the visa holder also automatically get four-year extensions. There is no age restriction for the Smart Visa.

There are plans to allow online application for the visa later in 2018, according to a report in state media citing government spokesman Sansern Keawkamnerd.

But nothing’s set in stone, Thanarak said, because they would need to find a way for applicants to submit proof of eligibility.

Update: This article has been updated with additional information.

10-Year Visas Now Available: Thai Immigration

Tourism Minister Talks Up 5-Year Visas

Business Group Calls for 5-Year Professional Visas for Expats

Malaysia Acquits Aussie Woman of Drug Trafficking

By

Associated Press

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27 December 2017, 16:39

Australian Maria Elvira Pinto Exposto, at center, is escorted by a police officer at a court hearing Wednesday at Shah Alam High Court in Shah Alam, Malaysia. Photo: Sadiq Asyraf / Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR — An Australian woman was found not guilty Wednesday of trafficking 1.5 kilograms of crystal meth at Kuala Lumpur’s airport three years ago, avoiding a possible death sentence.

Maria Elvira Pinto Exposto, 54, was exonerated after Judge Ghazali Cha of the Shah Alam High Court said he was satisfied that she did not know there were drugs in her bag.

Malaysia has a mandatory death sentence for anyone found guilty of carrying more than 50 grams of a prohibited drug.Pinto Exposto, a mother of three from Sydney, was arrested at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in on Dec. 7, 2014, when the bag she was carrying was found to contain the drugs.

She had arrived from Shanghai and was to catch a connecting flight to Melbourne. The drugs were discovered when she put two bags through the security scanner when exiting the airport.

Pinto Exposto had claimed that she went to Shanghai to meet a U.S. serviceman with whom she had an online romance, and had been asked to carry a bag full of clothes. She said she was unaware that the bag also contained drugs.

Three Australians have been hanged for drug offenses in Malaysia since 1986.

School Shooting VR: US Army’s New Survival-Horror Game

By

Associated Press

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27 December 2017, 16:33

ORLANDO, Florida — The shooter rapidly fires through the front doors of an elementary school with an assault rifle and blasts his way down the hallway. Screaming children are running for their lives or frozen in fear. Teachers quickly try to decide: barricade the doors, or make a run for it with their students?

Police officers arrive with guns drawn, working their way through the school. Finally they confront the shooter and end the threat.

Using cutting-edge video game technology and animation, the U.S. Army and Homeland Security Department have developed a computer-based simulator that can train everyone from teachers to first responders how to react to a so-called active shooter scenario. The training center is housed at the University of Central Florida in Orlando and offers numerous role-playing opportunities that can be used to train anyone in the world with a computer.

“With teachers, they did not self-select into a role where they expect to have bullets flying near them. Unfortunately, it’s becoming a reality,” said Tamara Griffith, a chief engineer for the project. “We want to teach teachers how to respond as first responders.”

The $5.6 million program – known as the Enhanced Dynamic Geo-Social Environment, or EDGE – is similar to those used by the Army to train soldiers in combat tactics and scenarios using a virtual environment.

Originally designed for police and fire agencies, the civilian version is now being expanded to schools to allow teachers and other school personnel to train for active shooters alongside first responders. Homeland Security officials say the schools version should be ready for launch by spring.

Each character has numerous options, including someone playing the bad guy, said project manager Bob Walker. For example, each teacher has seven options on how to keep students safe, and some of the students in the program might not respond or be too afraid to react. So that becomes another problem to be solved.

“Once you hear the children, the screaming, it makes it very, very real,” Walker said.

The program can have the shooter be either an adult or a child.

“We have to worry about both children and adults being suspects,” he said.

The program’s designers listened to real dispatch tapes to understand the confusion and chaos that goes along with such frightening situations, Griffith said. They also talked to the mother of a child killed in the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, who walked them through everything that happened that tragic day.

“It gives you chills when you think about what’s happening on those tapes,” Griffith said. “It tore us apart to listen to her and what she went through.”

But it all serves one main goal: to train educators to save lives when an armed attacker bursts through a school door.

Another EDGE program, which was launched in June, has an active-shooter scenario involving a 26-story hotel that includes numerous possible environments for first responder training: a conference center, a restaurant, or office spaces. As many as 60 people can train on the program at once and can be located anywhere.

“It’s important that this provides agencies like fire and law enforcement an opportunity to train together,” said Milt Nenneman, Homeland Security Science and Technology First Responder Group program manager in a recent Justice Department article. “Very seldom do they have the opportunity to train together in real-life, and it is hard to get those agencies time away from their regular duties.”

School safety advocates say safety training gets pushed to the back burner until a tragedy happens. Amanda Klinger, director of operations for nonprofit Educators School Safety Network, said this new program could help change that.

“I hope that people will sort of see this simulation as a really cool and engaging way,” she said, “to think about school safety.”

Story: Curt Anderson

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