31.1 C
Bangkok
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Home Blog Page 2469

Paris Police: 16 Arrested Over Kardashian West Jewelry Heist

In this Oct.3, 2016 file photo, a French police officer enters the residence of Kim Kardashian West in Paris.

PARIS — Police in Paris say 16 people have been arrested in connection with the October theft of more than $10 million worth of jewelry from Kim Kardashian West.

Police say robbers forced their way into a private Paris residence where Kardashian West was staying, tied her up and locked her in a bathroom before making off with her jewelry.

The reality TV star was in Paris attending fashion week shows. At the time a spokeswoman for Kardashian West said she was badly shaken but physically unharmed.

The robbery raised new concerns about security in the French capital after a string of deadly extremist attacks.

Advertisement

Japanese Films To Screen in 4 Provinces

BANGKOK — The Japanese Film Festival returns in strong form for a 40th time this year with selected films to commemorate the 130th anniversary of Japan-Thailand relations.

Fifteen recent Japanese films, from comedies to thrillers, will show February through March at the Japanese Film Festival for cinephiles to indulge in the island nation’s unique culture and storytelling.

Headlining is talented director Naomi Kawase’s 2015 drama “Sweet Bean.” Premiered at Cannes and praised for its sentimentality, the film is about an old lady who offers to help a man make sweet red bean paste for his dorayakis, which helps boost his business.

“What A Wonderful Family!” is a comedic 2016 film about a wife who wants to divorce her husband as a birthday present after having been married for 50 years.

For thrill-seekers, there’s Cannes’ Un Certain Regard-winner “Creepy.” Directed by  Kiyoshi Kurosawa and premiered at the 2016 Berlin Film Festival, the novel-based story follows an ex-police detective and a criminal psychologist who move to seek peace in their suburban town only to face a psychopathic neighbor who wishes to take their lives.

Tickets are 120 baht in Bangkok and 80 baht in Chiang Mai. Entry is free in Khon Kaen and Phuket.

The schedules and more information are available online.

The festival kicks off in Bangkok Feb. 4-12 at SF World Cinema, CentralWorld. After that, it’ll tour to Chiang Mai on Feb. 23-26 at Maya Lifestyle Shopping Center, March 3-5 to Central Khon Kaen and March 17-19 at Central Festival Phuket.

 

Advertisement

Fugitive Dhammakaya Spokesman Allegedly Photographed in France

A photo said to show Ong-art Thamnitha in France.

BANGKOK — Police on Monday were scrambling to confirm whether the spokesman of the controversial Dhammakaya movement had managed to slip through a police cordon and flee to France.

In a photo which surfaced on social media over the weekend, a man said to be Ong-art Thamnitha is dining with a group of monks at a Japanese restaurant in France. Ong-art, who had regularly defended his Buddhist sect in media appearances, had not been seen in public since he was charged with inciting unrest in December.

His colleague said he could not confirm Ong-art’s whereabouts.

“No one knows for sure, because no one could contact him,” Phra Pasura Dantamano said by telephone.

Read: A Look Inside the Besieged Wat Dhammakaya

He said the photo could be an old one. “Mr. Ong-art has traveled to a lot of overseas [Dhammakaya] centers, including the ones in France.”

The court approved on Dec. 15 an arrest warrant for Ong-art on charges of insurrection. Police accused Ong-art of mobilizing temple followers to resist police effort to arrest its fugitive ex-abbot Dhammachayo, who’s wanted on multi-million baht embezzlement charges.

Critics of Wat Dhammakaya have widely shared the photo and ridiculed authorities for somehow letting Ong-art escape the country.

A photo said to show Ong-art Thamnitha in France.
A photo said to show Ong-art Thamnitha in France.

The Department of Special Investigation, the agency responsible for prosecuting Dhammachayo and Ong-art, will ask French authorities whether Ong-art is really in the country, its spokesman Woranan Silam told reporters Monday.

Deputy junta chairman Prawit Wongsuwan also said he’s instructed police to find out whether or not the photo is genuine as soon as possible.

Dhammachayo, who left his post as the abbot last month but retained a ceremonial rank within the sect, faces two separate criminal charges. The first was for receiving funds embezzled from a credit union by one of its executives who is now serving a 16-year jail term. The most recent charge stemmed from illegally building a meditation center on public land.

The temple insists the charges are politically motivated, and said its spiritual leader could not turn himself in because he’s confined to his sick bed. The refusal led to an ongoing law enforcement presence outside the movement’s headquarters in Pathum Thani province.

Related stories:

Police Close Up on Wat Dhammakaya

Dhammakaya Asks Court to Cancel Search Warrant as Tensions Mount

Deadline for Dhammakaya Abbot to Surrender Expires, Again

 

Advertisement

New Nokia Phone to Launch Exclusively in China

A screenshot of Nokia's video for its latest smartphone model. Image: Android 5x1 / YouTube

HELSINKI — The Nokia mobile phone is coming back.

Finland-based HMD Global says it’s launching its first smartphone  the Nokia 6  in China, under license from the network provider  once the world’s top cellphone maker.

The aluminum handset, with a 5.5-inch screen, will be the first Nokia to run the Android operating system.

HMD Global, the licensee of the Nokia brand for cellphones and tablets, said Sunday it chose to launch in China  with more than 550 million smartphone users  because of a “desire to meet the real world needs of consumers in different markets around the world.”

The Nokia 6 will be available in early 2017 at an approximate price of 1,699 yuan ($245). It was unclear when it would be available in other markets.

Advertisement

Thai Man Accused of Raping Russian Tourist on Koh Samui

Sattawat Choomee, at the center, is escorted to Bophut Police Station on Monday morning.

KOH SAMUI — A 27-year-old Thai man confessed to robbing and raping a Russian tourist on the island of Samui, police said Monday.

Sattawat Choomee admitted upon his arrest he pretended to be a victim of the ongoing flood Friday night and asked the woman for a motorcycle ride home, Koh Samui police said. He later allegedly robbed and assaulted her.

“We found all of the [victim’s] stuff in his possession,” Lt. Col. Sirichai Kertsri, deputy chief of Bophut Police Station, said by telephone. “He also confessed to all charges.”

Police are still waiting for a formal medical examination result from a hospital to confirm that the rape took place before they can file sexual assault charges against the suspect, though Sirichai said he’s confident of Sattawat’s guilt.

“I believe that happened, but we still have to wait for evidence,” the lieutenant colonel said.

Sattawat was arrested shortly after midnight. He’s been charged with robbery.

Advertisement

Internet Fat Cat ‘Pusheen’ Invades Paragon

Pusheen goods on sale Monday at Siam Paragon. Photo: Patcharaporn Suksiri

BANGKOK— Pusheen, famous for wiggling around the Internet in impossibly cute cartoon forms, is waiting to plop into fans’ laps at Siam Paragon shopping mall since last Thursday.

Purchase everything Pusheen from plushies of differing sizes and colors, fuzzy slippers, tablet cases and sleep masks in the likeness of the Internet-famous cartoon domestic shorthair at the mall’s third floor BeTrend store.

’Do you miss me? Then gimme kanom.’ Photo: Pusheen in Thailand / Facebook
’Do you miss me? Then gimme kanom.’ Photo: Pusheen in Thailand / Facebook

“The most popular Pusheen item for Thais is the plain gray 12-inch Pusheen, priced at 1,290 baht. They sell really well on weekends,” said Patcharaporn Suksiri, a store saleswoman.

Thai Pusheen following even before the local sale of the official plushies yesterday has a significant cat cult presence, with Pusheen in Thailand garnering more than 10,000 likes.

Pusheen became available in BeTrend’s Siam Paragon mall, open 10am until 10pm, since last Thursday.

Pusheen, familiar to netizens worldwide for her Facebook stickers and appearance on cute comic strips, was first created in 2010 by Claire Belton and Andrew Duff. Pusheen, meaning “kitten” in Irish, was based on Belton’s real-life chubby gray tabby and her food-loving, sloth-like antics.

Since then, Pusheen merchandise, such as plushies, keychains and the book “I Am Pusheen The Cat,” have been sold in response to her Internet fame.

Advertisement

Cop Exams May Be Voided Due to Massive Fraud

Police examination applicants file through security checkpoints on Dec. 4 at Ramkhamhaeng University in Bangkok.

BANGKOK — A recent entrance examination for the Bangkok police force might be nullified because of widespread fraud involving more than 300 applicants, police commanders said Sunday.

Police suspect those exam takers were in fact “hired guns” – professionals paid by some applicants to sit for the exam on their behalf. Police commissioner Chakthip Chaijinda pledged to thoroughly investigate the case and said all measures are on the table, including voiding the entire exam itself.

“I sympathize with every side. Honest people are affected,” Gen. Chakthip said. “So, we must have all the facts before making decision.”

As of this moment, the exam result is still not canceled, he added.

More than 13,000 people sat for the Bangkok police entrance examination Dec. 4, vying for the 1,000 open positions in the force. On Friday the Metropolitan Police Bureau’s Training Center, the unit responsible for the exam, announced it suspected 347 applicants to be “hired guns,” and subsequently filed complaints to a local police station.

Speaking to reporters Friday, the training center’s commander, Col. Uthane Nuiphin said such “hired guns” charged their clients about 20,000 to 30,000 baht for taking the exam.

The selection process for recruits in the Bangkok police force was halted in light of the revelation, Gen. Chakthip said.

Many applicants unrelated to the fraud have voiced their frustration on social media that their future in the police force is now threatened by the ongoing investigation.

The top scorer of the exam, Panat Natiparkdi, told Matichon he’s planning to file a petition to Gen. Chakthip, urging him to root out and prosecute the actual fraudsters rather than canceling the exam altogether.

Advertisement

19 Die as Floods Continue to Submerge South

Flood level reaches 3-meter high in Surat Thani's Vibhavadi district Monday.

BANGKOK — Ongoing floods in the southern region have killed 19 people and affected nearly one million people, authorities said Sunday.

While the situation in Yala and Ranong provinces has improved, another eight provinces were still facing crisis from flash floods. More than 330,000 households were affected and one person remained missing, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.

Though flood levels gradually decreased in many provinces, they were higher in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Chumphon provinces.

Floods also destroyed sections of 218 roadways including Phet Kasem Road, a major highway to the south.

Mu Koh Phi Phi National Park in Krabi province announced they closed all diving spots to tourists until further notice.

Read: Malls, Airport Closed as Worst Flood in Decades Hit South

Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Sunday the government approved an additional 50 million baht for each nine provinces including Phatthalung, Yala, Narathiwat, Songkhla, Pattani, Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani and Chumphon in order to cover all necessities.

Heavy downpours are expected throughout the southern region according to Monday’s forecast by the Meteorological Department. High waves were expected both in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. Small boats are advised to stay ashore.

A red flag was raised on Chaweng beach of Samui Monday warning people not to swim.
A red flag was raised on Chaweng beach of Samui Monday warning people not to swim.
Flash flood arrives Monday early morning affecting more than 500 households in Ranong province.
Flash flood arrives Monday early morning affecting more than 500 households in Ranong province.
Flood level reaches 3-meter high in Surat Thani's Vibhavadi district Monday
Flood level reaches 3-meter high in Surat Thani’s Vibhavadi district Monday
Flash flood makes Phet Kasem Road in Krabi province become paralyzed Sunday night.
Flash flood makes Phet Kasem Road in Krabi province become paralyzed Sunday night.
Advertisement

Welcome to the New Khaosod English. Don’t Worry. It’s the Same.

You might have noticed Khaosod English looks a little different than it did just a few months ago.

Although our obsession with excellent journalism in service to no one but our readers is unchanged, we need updated tools to balance our 20th century principles with 21st century innovation.

That, and we heard enough of the jokes: “2009 called and asked for its website back.” Funny.

We love good writing and strong stories that hew to high standards. We’re not afraid to tell you when we got something wrong or regretfully withheld information due to those laws used to silence discourse. We don’t expect readers to blindly trust us in this “post-truth” world. But we do these things out of respect for you, in the hope we can occasionally win the same in return.

Khaosod English ala 2014.
Khaosod English ala 2014.

So don’t worry, Khaosod English isn’t changing. Our upgraded platform will help us bring the same reporting and standards to the digital world that our discerning readers expect. Like our Vanishing Bangkok, Monopolyland and Bangkok Bombing interactive features, and our live blogging of August’s charter referendum.

To make it all easier on the eyes, we went to the same design team behind the Bukruk Urban Arts Festival.

We don’t think this internet thing is going away, and while the print media confront their mortality and self-inflicted loss of relevance, we’re moving forward to offer more.

More is More

With the support of Matichon Group, we have expanded our staff where it matters most – reporters.

We’re also pleased to have recently expanded our coverage with Don Sambandaraksa, an experienced and sharp-witted tech contrarian who will weigh in now and then with his Cognitive Dissident column.

iconCoverage of Bangkok would be incomplete without talking about its nightlife, so we’re pleased to have with us one of its most-storied DJs, Mongkorn “Dragon” Timkul. Dragon has been starting fires in the underground for over a decade and is friend to all genres (except EDM). He writes about the music, the people who make it and where to hear it in Notes From the Underground.

As Thailand gleefully leans into the transhuman future and life moves increasingly online, find our coverage of that space, from the fight for online freedom to the latest Pantip shitstorms in our dot.net section.

Check out our Life@Bangkok section for coverage of the most interesting arts, culture, films, entertainment and events. Looking for some worthy suggestions on stuff to do, from high- to low-brow? Hit the events listings.

Join us on Facebook for our livestreams and bonus social media posts. Just want to binge-read our stories at a time of your choosing? Sign up for a daily dose of our fresh news.

Although we have more fun and cool things planned, none is at the expense of the content that drew readers here in the first place. Not going to set aside our values and publish the Top 10 kitten videos. (Unless they’re super cute.)

Like, How?

First of all, recommitting every day to our allegiances: the readers.

I’ve heard the talk and will be the first to admit it. It’s true. We are totally biased.

Biased toward the principles of truth-telling, fairness, honesty and accuracy that our profession is based upon.

We reject the cynical relativism that suggests justice, human dignity, fairness and accountability are cultural constructs which vary by longitude and latitude. That also means rejecting the fatalistic shrugs of “things will never change” or “this is Thailand.”

We’ll continue reporting where society falls short of its obligations by holding truth to power, whoever may possess it.

Readers won’t find stories that magically disappear or change without explanation. Nor single-sourced stories about what the permanent secretary of whatever said today that ignores the contradictory thing said yesterday.

Stories at Khaosod English are never cribbed from press releases. We don’t think writing a correction is a loss of face – but better to get it right the first time. Unlike our competitors, we don’t accept free travel or gifts. While we’re not afraid to bite the hand that feeds us – we’d rather not be hand-fed.

I share this not to boast but lend insight into what drives the conversations we have every day about how to best serve those we’re fortunate to count as our readers.

Thank you for reading, thank you for turning off the ad-blocker, thank you for giving us a chance.

We have more things planned to roll out this year, so watch this space. Reach me anytime at [email protected].

Todd Ruiz
Editor
Khaosod English

Advertisement

‘La La Land,’ ‘Moonlight’ Top Golden Globes

Ryan Gosling, right, and Emma Stone in a scene from, "La La Land. Photo: Dale Robinette/Lionsgate via AP

“La La Land” steamrolled through a Jimmy Fallon-hosted Golden Globes that mixed the expected, Champagne-sipping Hollywood celebration with often-voiced concern over president-elect Donald Trump.

Though “La La Land” dominated with seven awards, including best motion picture, comedy or musical, the night’s final award went to Barry Jenkins’ tender coming of age drama “Moonlight.” Its sole award was for best motion picture, drama.

But Meryl Streep, the Cecil B. DeMille Award honoree, supplied Sunday evening’s most striking moment: a rebuke to Trump that stirred the Beverly Hilton Hotel crowd. Streep, who spoke at the Democratic National Convention, called the president-elect’s mocking of a disabled reporter the year’s performance that most “stunned her.”

Arguing for the multinational makeup of Hollywood, Streep listed off the far-flung homes of stars from Dev Patel to Ryan Gosling.

“Hollywood is crawling with outsiders and foreigners and if you kick them all out, you’ll have nothing to watch but football and mixed martial arts, which are not the arts,” Streep said to loud applause.

Damien Chazelle’s Los Angeles musical “La La Land” came in with a leading seven nominations, and won everything it was nominated for, including best film, musical or comedy. Chazelle won both best director and best screenplay. Gosling won best actor in a comedy or musical, as did Emma Stone for best actress. It also took best score (Justin Hurwitz) and best song for “City of Stars.”

“I’m in in daze now, officially,” said Chazelle accepting his award for directing.

In one of the evening’s more emotional acceptance speeches, Gosling dedicated his award to the late brother of his partner, Eva Mendes.

“While I was singing and dancing and playing piano and having one of the best experiences I’ve ever had on a film, my lady was raising our daughter, pregnant with our second and trying to help her brother fight his battle with cancer,” said Gosling, referring to Juan Carlos Mendes.

The Beverly Hills, California, ceremony got off to a rocky start, with a broken teleprompter initially froze Fallon. “Cut to Justin Timberlake, please,” implored a desperately improvising Fallon. It was the second fiasco for Globes producer Dick Clark Productions, which presented the infamous Mariah Carey flub on New Year’s Eve.

The “Tonight Show” host started the show with a cold open ode to “La La Land” in a lavish sketch more typical of the Academy Awards than the Globes. Fallon did a version of the film’s opening dance scene, with starry cameos from Timberlake, previous Globes host Tina Fey, Amy Adams and the white Ford Bronco of “The People v. O.J. Simpson.”

In a more truncated monologue, Fallon’s sharpest barbs weren’t directed at the stars in the room (as was the style of frequent host Ricky Gervais) but president-elect Trump. He compared Trump to the belligerent teenage king Joffrey of “Games of Thrones.” His first line (at least once the teleprompter was up) was introducing the Globes as “one of the few places left where America still honors the popular vote.”

That, though, isn’t quite true. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, a collection of 85 members, has its own methods of selecting winners. Best supporting actress winner Viola Davis, the co-star of Denzel Washington’s August Wilson adaptation “Fences,” alluded to the group’s reputation for being wined and dined.

“I took all the pictures, went to luncheon,” said Davis, to knowing chuckles through the ballroom, as she clutched her award. “But it’s right on time.”

Davis continued what appears to be a certain path to the Oscar. Another favorite, Casey Affleck, also padded his favorite status. The “Manchester by the Sea” star took best actor.

Coming a year after a second-straight of OscarsSoWhite protests, the night was notable for the widespread diversity of its winners, in film and TV. Donald Glover’s “Atlanta” won best comedy series over heavyweights like “Veep” and “Transparent,” and Glover later added best actor in a comedy. Glover looked visibly surprised.

“I really want to thank Atlanta and all the black folks in Atlanta,” said Glover. “I couldn’t be here without Atlanta.”

Tracee Ellis Ross, accepting the award for best actress in a TV comedy for “Black-ish,” dedicated her award to “all of the women of color and colorful people whose stories, ideas, thoughts are not always considered worthy and valid and important.”

“I want you to know that I see you, we see you,” said Ross.

And a true Oscar showdown was never in the offing at the Globes. Since the show separates drama from comedy and musical, “La La Land” didn’t go face-to-face with its top competition, “Moonlight” and “Manchester by the Sea,” in top categories.

The British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson took best supporting actor for his performance in Tom Ford’s “Nocturnal Animals.” It was a surprise that Taylor-Johnson was even nominated, so his win over favorites Mahershala Ali from “Moonlight” and Jeff Bridges from “Hell or High Water” was a shock.

“The People v. O.J. Simpson” taking best miniseries, as well as an award for Sarah Paulson. But other winners were less prepared.

Hugh Laurie, star of “The Night Manager,” looked even more surprised when he won best supporting actor in a limited series or TV film over the likes of John Travolta (“The People v. O.J. Simpson”) and John Lithgow (“The Crown”).

Laurie was one of the few early winners to pepper his acceptance speech with comments about Trump. “I accept this award on behalf of psychopathic billionaires everywhere,” he said. “The Night Manager” won two more awards, including best actor for Tom Hiddleston.

Paul Verhoeven’s “Elle” won best foreign language film. Disney’s “Zootopia” took best animated feature. Other winners included Tracee Ellis Ross (“Black-ish”) and Billy Bob Thornton (“Goliath”).

Story: Jake Coyle

Advertisement

Hot News

LATEST NEWS

Bangkok
overcast clouds
31.1 ° C
31.6 °
28.3 °
73 %
3.7kmh
100 %
Mon
29 °
Tue
35 °
Wed
34 °
Thu
34 °
Fri
28 °