Sevilla Stuns Liverpool With 3-1 Win in Europa League Final

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19 May 2016, 10:39

Sevilla's team players celebrates the victory with the trophy after the soccer Europa League final between England's Liverpool FC and Spain's Sevilla Futbol Club at the St. Jakob-Park stadium in Basel, Switzerland, Wednesday, May 18, 2016. Photo: Jean-Christophe Bott / Keystone / Associated Press

BASEL, Switzerland — Spain did it again, Sevilla did it again and Liverpool could do little to turn the tide as a Europa League title slipped away on Wednesday.

Sevilla's thrilling second-half comeback in a 3-1 win ensured the club's third straight Europa League title, and a fifth in 11 seasons.

It also ensured Spain will sweep Europe's club competitions for a third straight year, ahead of the Atletico Madrid-Real Madrid final of the Champions League on May 28.

It was fitting that Spain's former King Juan Carlos stood beside the Spanish soccer federation president, Angel Maria Villar, who presented the trophy as UEFA's senior vice president to Sevilla captain and two-goal standout Coke.

"Maybe we are not the ones who should say it," Sevilla coach Unai Emery said when asked to explain Spanish dominance of European club soccer. "Maybe others should analyze what we do."

"I have my own theory," Emery added. "We really compete and we have been able to win against teams that were better than us."

Liverpool certainly was better in the first half at rain-swept St. Jakob Park, tearing at the two-time defending title-holder in a strong end to the first half.

Still, the high-intensity pressing game demanded by Liverpool coach Juergen Klopp yielded one goal — Daniel Sturridge's beautifully curled shot with the outside of his left foot in the 35th minute.

When Sevilla equalized less than 18 seconds after the restart, with Kevin Gameiro's goal from close range, the tempo and flow of the game utterly changed. Coke struck with right-foot shots in the 64th and 70th minutes and Liverpool had little answer.

Sevilla's Coke celebrates after scoring his second goal, during the soccer Europa League final between England's Liverpool FC and Spain's Sevilla Futbol Club at the St. Jakob-Park stadium in Basel, Switzerland, on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. Photo: Jean-Christophe Bott / Keystone / Associated Press

The ferocious spirit Liverpool showed at Anfield in overhauling Borussia Dortmund in the quarterfinals and Villarreal in the semifinals was strangely muted.

Defeat leaves Liverpool with no European football next season and potentially a tougher time to recruit players in Klopp's first offseason at a storied club he joined just seven months ago.

It also dealt the charismatic German coach a fifth straight loss in a cup final, including the 2013 Champions League final when he was at Dortmund.

Klopp accepted he and his players reacted poorly after Sevilla's fast start to the second half.

"In this moment we lost faith in our style of play," he said. "We have 44 minutes to strike back, so where is the problem? The reaction was the problem."

Victory lifted Sevilla back into the Champions League group stage with Europe's elite next season.

"Sevilla and its fans love this competition. We want it so much," Emery said. "Now we want to take the step toward the Champions League."

Klopp suggested his side had no luck with potential handball and offside decisions that went against his team.

The third Sevilla goal was furiously disputed by Liverpool after an assistant signaled what at first seemed an apparent offside against Coke, then lowered his flag.

Still, that goal — and Gameiro's earlier — exposed defensive errors by former Sevilla player Alberto Moreno on the left side of Liverpool's defense.

Sevilla caught Liverpool cold after Moreno's poor header gifted possession to Mariano Ferreira. The right-back then broke too easily through a Moreno tackle to pass the ball across the goalmouth for the unmarked Gameiro to score.

Coke soon struck a sweeping shot from the edge of the penalty area, after Vitolo played two return passes and broke through a tackle. Coke then exposed Moreno's lack of attention by firing low into Mignolet's goal.

Liverpool had led when its three forwards linked together for the first time. Brazilians Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho passed across the Sevilla defense to find Sturridge to step forward and strike a sweet shot.

Liverpool fans far outnumbered Sevilla supporters in the 35,000 crowd and fights broke out 30 minutes before kickoff in a poorly divided area behind one goal. Only then did a line of police and stewards stand between the two groups of fans.

Most Liverpool fans had long left the stadium when Sevilla players danced in the rain on the field with the silver trophy that was theirs yet again.

Story: Graham Dunbar / Associated Press

Retro Street Party: Swing Dancers to Storm Charoen Krung

By

Chayanit Itthipongmaetee, Staff Reporter

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19 May 2016, 10:00

Dancers at a February swing dance event outside Phra Pathommachedi in Nakhon Pathom province. Photo: Watsamon Tri-yasakda / Courtesy

BANGKOK — If you missed the 100-plus crowd of vintage swing kids doing the Charleston around a Nakhon Pathom pagoda to jazz music earlier this year, then Lindy hop over to Charoen Krung Road later this month.

All are welcome to join when Bangkok’s swing dance community turns out May 28 for a free street dance party.

Swing dancing will take place from 6pm until 7pm in front of the deserted East Asiatic Co. building located on Soi Charoen Krung 40 near the Chao Phraya River in the capital’s Bang Rak district. The old Venetian-style building can be reached by a short taxi ride from from BTS Saphan Taksin or Chao Phraya Express Boat to Oriental Pier.

After the street frenzy finishes, a 45-minute documentary on old town Charoen Krung will be show outdoors nearby at about 7pm.

The dance and doc are part of Co-Create Charoenkrung, a project by Thailand Creative and Design Center and Thai Health Promotion Foundation to encourage cultural activities in the neighborhood.

Swing Dancing for Charoen Krung District, is open to all and free. Dancers are encouraged to dress “casual vintage.”

Photo: Watsamon Tri-yasakda / Courtesy

Watch Thai PBS’ ‘Pinijnakorn’ on YouTube doesn’t compare to an outdoor screening in the real neighborhood

The East Asiatic Company building. Photo: Aey SrirathSomsawat / Facebook.jpg — The East Asiatic Company building. Photo: Aey SrirathSomsawat / Facebook

Thursday’s Traffic Could be Terrible. Here’s What You Need to Know.

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Sasiwan Mokkhasen, Staff Reporter

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18 May 2016, 18:43

BANGKOK — A parade, the long weekend and weather could make drivers want to put a bag over Bangkok’s already ugly roads Thursday.

Even police admitted traffic will not be pleasant tomorrow when the Pride of Thailand, aka Leicester City FC, parades in a loop running from the Victory Monument area past Bangkok’s other proud monuments of MBK Center, Siam Paragon and CentralWorld.

That and everyone will be getting an early start on the weekend’s fun and/or reverence due to Friday’s Visakha Bucha holiday. The forecasted 50 percent chance of rain may not be an issue – it’s expected in the morning.

Thursday evening will definitely see worse traffic due to all of the above, deputy police spokesman Songpol Wattanachai said.

The footballers parade starts at 4:30pm from King Power HQ and is scheduled to return there one hour later.

That means roads that would be figuratively shut down by bad traffic at that time of day will be literally shut down.

Songpol said only the necessary portions of Phaya Thai, Rama I, Ratchadamri, Ratchaprarop and Ratchawithi roads would be closed for a short time as the parade passes, and police will be along the route to guide motorists to detours.

Friday marks Visakha Bucha Day, so on Thursday expect high traffic on roads out of town and at alcohol sellers.

A map of Thursday’s victory parade route. Photo: Leicester City FC Thailand / Facebook

UberMoto Goes Dark; New Moto App Coming From … Junta?

By

Sasiwan Mokkhasen, Staff Reporter

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18 May 2016, 16:42

Image from a 2015 UberMoto promotional campaign. Photo: Uber Thailand / Twitter

BANGKOK — UberMoto officially halted their service today after a second government order, while the junta says it will develop and launch its own mobile application for motocycle taxis.

UberMoto said it suspended service at noon on Wednesday while competitor GrabBike continues to hold out for a compromise one day after transportation officials called on both to get off the road for a second time.

“Despite receiving a warm welcome from passengers and our partner drivers, we decided to temporarily suspend UberMoto service in Bangkok from noon today,” Uber wrote in a statement.

Uber said it aims to reach an agreement with authorities in order to operate legally. It launched its pilot service offering on-demand motorcycle taxis in parts of Bangkok this past March.

GrabBike, operated by Singaporean-based Grab, wasn’t ready to throw in the towel.

“We are willing to cooperate with every related party to integrate technology for developing safer and more convenient public transportation,” read a Tuesday evening Grab statement.

Read: No Really, Govt Tells GrabBike and UberMoto, What You’re Doing is Illegal

The Department of Land Transport first warned both companies to stop their services March 1 as its bikes, drivers and payment rates did not comply with legal regulations.

A department official on Tuesday argued that the services were tantamount to organized crime and created unfair competition for Bangkok’s traditional motorcycle taxi operators, who have been subjected to more stringent regulation.

Col. Kanchai Prachuap-aree, who heads the junta’s regulation effort, said Tuesday that his committee has a plan to launch a legal application for Bangkok’s 80,000 registered drivers.

Users will only need their mobile phone number to registration the application, he said, which will book rides without charge. No other details or a release date were given.

After the military seized power in 2014, it moved to regulate the public transportation sector, which is known for low standards and criminality. Motorcycle taxis, who are heavily territorial and often paid neighborhood figures for patronage, were required to comply with strict new regulations such as posted fare rates at every taxi stand.

Last week a GrabBike driver was intimidated and threatened with assault by motosai when he attempted to pick up a Chulalongkorn University student from his dorm.

If they comply with regulations, it’s still unclear if Uber and Grab would be allowed to operate.

Both passengers and drivers turned to the internet to express their happiness online.

“Now how can I find a part-time job?” Facebook user Keng Pongsak wrote in reply to Uber’s message. “Shouldn’t it be the customers who choose what service they will use? And if it is illegal, why don’t you make it legal?”

Others suggested a compromise must be possible.

“The Department of Land Transport should have offered solutions to Grab, so we can coexist,” wrote Facebook user Russia Mueanthip on Grab’s Facebook page. “We should keep a good application, not shut it down. Thailand should move forward, not stay put.”

UberMoto Ignores Same Ban Ignored by GrabBike

GrabBike Responds to Govt Ban With Big Discount and Apathy

Military, Police to Monitor GrabBike Shutdown

OhMyDog Fest: Bands, Burgers, Beer and Poets at Whiteline

By

Chayanit Itthipongmaetee, Staff Reporter

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18 May 2016, 16:19

BANGKOK — Earfuls of live music, comedy and spoken word from a fistful of bands and performing artists will fill three nights of an underground Silom Road art venue this weekend.

For its Oh My Dog! long weekend fest, Whiteline will host four hard-rock bands Thursday (YoMoFo), absolutely nothing Friday (Visakha Bucha Day), performing artists Saturday (Signal Flair) and a seven-act deep post-rock minifest (OMDWTFThisShitRocks)

Thursday – YoMoFo

Thursday night the second floor of Whiteline will be rich with testosterone ozone as familiar and fresh faces hard-rock out.

Headlined by Degaruda, YoMoFo opens with Cold Black Vines – a new band with members from Abuse the Youth, Texas Massacre, Deadtown Trash and The Day of Classic Pain.They’re followed by progressive indie rock Count the Thief and The Ginkz.

The party kicks off at 9pm on Thursday. Admission is 300 baht and includes a domestic craft beer.

Saturday – Signal Flair

Painters, poets and funny folk will take the stage Saturday night to celebrate the first anniversary of performing arts community Signal Flair.

Hannah Theodorou and Sazibimol “Bua” Nipatkusol will live paint the Whiteline walls.

Wordsmiths Steve Catt, Rouge Et Noir and The Bedroom Poet will perform spoken word. Stand-up comics Alex Dang, Stacy Williams and Leo Soares will do their best to make the audience LOL IRL.

And there will be music. Synthwave funk sensation DCNXTR is the top-billed act in a lineup that including fresh-faced rapper Unda and electro-percussion courtesy of the fine folks of The Voodoo Asylum. Later on DJs Freddy Frunk and Rory-Breaker Morant will spin the night into after-party mode.

The whole enchilada starts at 8pm. Tickets are 300 baht in advance and 500 baht at the door. Tickets include one drink.

Sunday – OMDWTFThisShitRocks

Some of Bangkok’s favorite post-rockers and post-rollers will assemble on Sunday. Triggs and the Longest Day tops a lineup which includes Hariguem Zaboy, Matthew Fischer, Street Wreck, Rocket Science, Hope the Flowers and Ugoslabier.

Doors open at 4pm on Sunday. Admission is 300 baht including one drink.

A three-day ticket is available for 800 baht and includes some drinks and food. Dogs eat free ice cream.

Whiteline is located on Soi Silom 8, a 10-minute walk down Silom Road from BTS Sala Daeng.

200 Families Feared Buried by Mudslides in Sri Lanka (Photos)

By

Associated Press

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18 May 2016, 15:22

An elderly Sri Lankan woman and a girl are shifted on a mattress at a flooded area in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, May 17, 2016. Photo: Eranga Jayawardena / Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Torrential rains have sent landslides cascading over three villages in Sri Lanka, and at least 200 families were feared buried under the mud Wednesday, the Sri Lankan Red Cross said.

Sixteen bodies have already been recovered and about 180 people have been rescued from the enormous piles of mud and debris unleashed at around 5 p.m. Tuesday, according to military spokesman Brig. Jayanath Jayaweera.

More than 300 soldiers have been deployed to search for survivors in the villages of Siripura, Pallebage and Elagipitya in Kegalle District, about 72 kilometers north of Colombo, the capital, Jayaweera said. Heavy fog and electricity outages, as well as the instability of the ground, were complicating rescue efforts.

At least 200 families were reported missing on Wednesday, the Sri Lankan Red Cross said in a statement. Officials said the situation was unclear.

State broadcaster Rupavahini showed images of huge mounds of earth covering houses, while muddy torrents of water gushed from hilltops above. Villagers said 66 houses had been buried or damaged, according to local journalist Saman Bandara.

Some 1,141 people who escaped the disaster were sheltering and being treated for minor injuries at a nearby school and a Buddhist temple, according to government official Mahendra Jagath.

The same rains that unleashed the mudslides have also caused severe flooding in cities including Colombo. The country's disaster management center had reported 11 deaths from electrocution and smaller landslides elsewhere in the island nation in the past few days.

Sri Lankan men push an auto rickshaw stranded in a flooded road after heavy rains in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, May 16, 2016. Photo: Eranga Jayawardena / Associated Press

The Meteorological Department has forecast more rain and rough seas for much of the country.

Schools in many parts of the country were closed Wednesday due to the bad weather. Many schools are being used to provide shelter for the affected people.

Sri Lankans wade through a road submerged in flood waters in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, May 17, 2016. Photo: Eranga Jayawardena / Associated Press

Story: Bharatha Mallawarachi /Associated Press

To reach us about this article or another matter, please contact us by e-mail at: [email protected].

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Taiwan Panda's 'Proof of Life' Photo Debunks Death Rumors

By

Associated Press

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18 May 2016, 13:35

In this photo made available by the Taipei Zoo on May 18, 11 year old panda from China named Tuan Tuan is seen sitting upright his cage behind recent local newspaper front pages at the Taipei Zoo, in Taipei, Taiwan. Photo: Taipei Zoo / Associated Press

BEIJING — The subject of the photo looks out from behind bars, with newspapers arranged in front of him to prove what day it is. This "proof of life" shot is not a scene from a kidnapping but an effort by the Taipei Zoo to debunk rumors that a prized panda recently died.

Photos released by the zoo this week show Tuan Tuan looking at the papers laid out in front of his inner enclosure. The zoo's director said in a statement that Tuan Tuan, his partner Yuan Yuan and their cub are fine.

"We welcome everyone to visit them at the zoo," Director Chin Shih-chien said.

The website of China's official Communist Party newspaper Global Times had reported the panda died of canine distemper, sending the story racing across the Chinese-language Internet. The paper later retracted the story and apologized for not checking its facts, a potentially egregious error given the political sensitivity surrounding the panda pair.

Giant pandas exist only in China and Beijing has often used overseas gifts of the animals to make political statements about its relationship with other governments. Beijing claims the self-governing island of Taiwan as its own territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary.

Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, whose combined names translate as "Reunion," were sent by Beijing to Taiwan in December 2008 following the election of China-friendly President Ma Ying-jeou as the island's leader.

The rumors of Tuan Tuan's death came just days before the inauguration of Ma's successor, Tsai Ing-wen, whose party formally supports Taiwan's formal independence from China

Story: Associated Press

American Envoy’s Straight-Talk Sent Nationalists Seething. Was it Worth It?

By

Pravit Rojanaphruk, Senior Staff Writer

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18 May 2016, 12:23

U.S. Ambassador Glyn Davies speaks Thursday at a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai. Photo: Matichon

By Pravit Rojanaphruk
Senior Staff Reporter

BANGKOK — When U.S. Ambassador Glyn Davies read some concise yet pointed concerns about the human rights situation in Thailand this past Thursday during a joint news conference, it was much the same as American diplomats regularly do around the world.

But as the horror on Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai’s face made apparent, it would become a tempest in a teapot that would result in a torrent of nationalist sentiments against foreign criticism and leave people divided over its effectiveness.

Davies' statement, in which he said the arrests of Facebookers and an activist's mother created “a climate of intimidation and self-censorship,” led junta supporters to brand him rude and claim Thai pride was violated. A few extreme nationalists have called for his ejection.

Prayuth Eager To ‘Reach Understanding’ With New US Ambassador

Thanet Aphornsuvan, an expert on Thai-US relations and a Thammasat University distinguished fellow, said the criticism could be counterproductive, as the old elites were likely affronted by the brief statement read by Davies and dutifully translated by his staff.

“The European Union is more subtle. They will be able to continue [dialogue] longer and prevent the situation from further deterioration. What Glyn Davies did was rather insensitive, given that it’s known that [the junta and its supporters] would be upset,” Thanet said.

Thanet said some likely felt offended and construed Davies’ comments as taking side with the Redshirts, who supported the former civilian government ousted by the coup.

“However, this is the American way, isn’t it?” he said of offering open criticism of allies and adversaries alike.

Attempts to reach Davies were unsuccessful; an embassy spokeswoman did not reply to written inquiries.

Thanet added that Thailand is no longer dependent on the United States as it was during the Cold War. Today, the military can purchase weapons from other powers.

Puangthong Pawakapan, associate professor of international relations at Chulalongkorn University, defended the U.S. Ambassador’s straightforwardness.

“If you ask whether it will be productive, the answer is that they won’t budge. Because if they retreat, they won’t be able to control the political situation. The majority of the people do not accept them. And even if [Davies] was softer, it wouldn’t yield a different result.”

On Monday, junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha said Davies’ comments would “backfire” and turn the Thai public against him.

That’s unlikely to happen, said Virot Ali, an international relations lecturer at Thammasat University.

He added that the United States, along with its Western allies, was more likely to step up pressure on the junta’s human rights record, leading the regime to offer more reasonable responses than dismissing such matters as internal affairs.

Prayuth Defends Abducting ‘Facebook Eight’

Cyclist Crushed by Truck After Misjudging Move (Video)

By

Sasiwan Mokkhasen, Staff Reporter

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18 May 2016, 12:19

Footage from a car dashboard camera shows the moment Prapot Kaewpila fell to the ground and was hit by a truck Tuesday night in Nonthaburi.

NONTHABURI — A 23-year-old competitive cyclist was killed during a night ride in a Bangkok suburb last night.

Prapot Kaewpila was trying to speed through a small opening between a truck and motorcycle at the entrance of Soi Pracha Chuen 9 when he hit the motorbike. Both its rider and Prapot went down, and as dashboard cam footage from another vehicle showed, Prapot’s head was immediately run over by the truck. He died instantly.

Police Capt. Niphon Ponsawat from Rattanathibet police station, who arrived on the scene at about 9pm, said police are looking for both the truck and motorcycle taxi drivers, who fled the scene. Police have their license plate numbers.

Cyclists are a regular sight on both sides of Pracha Chuen Road at night. The road, which is the border between Bangkok and Nonthaburi provinces, is popular as a long, straight, canalside run.

An unidentified friend of Prapot’s told police the cyclist regularly joined races and won sixth place at a competition west of Bangkok in Nakhon Pathom province earlier this year.

Clinton, Sanders in Tight Kentucky Race; Sanders, Trump Win Oregon

By

Associated Press

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18 May 2016, 11:38

Sanders: Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., acknowledges the crowd during a rally on Tuesday, May 17, 2016, in Carson, Calif. Photo: Jae C. Hong / Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Bernie Sanders won Oregon's presidential primary and battled Hillary Clinton to a neck-and-neck outcome in Kentucky on Tuesday, vowing to soldier on as Clinton sought to blunt his momentum ahead of her likely general election matchup against Republican Donald Trump.

The race in Kentucky was too close to call, but Clinton wrote on her Twitter feed: "We just won Kentucky! Thanks to everyone who turned out. We're always stronger united." With almost all the votes counted, Clinton held a narrow lead of less than one-half of 1 percent as she tried to avoid ending the primary season with a string of losses to the Vermont senator.

Trump won the sole GOP contest in Oregon, where Sanders was declared the winner shortly after the polls closed in the liberal-leaning state.

Rallying supporters in California, Sanders said he would end up with about half of the delegates in Kentucky and promised to press forward even though he would need to win about two-thirds of the remaining pledged delegates to end the primary season in a tie.

"Before we will have the opportunity to defeat Donald Trump, we're going to have to defeat Secretary Clinton," Sanders said to cheers in Carson, California.

Clinton holds a commanding lead of nearly 300 pledged delegates over Sanders and a dominant advantage among party officials and elected leaders known as superdelegates. The outcomes in Kentucky and Oregon did not dramatically change the delegate count and the former secretary of state remains on track to clinch the nomination on June 7 in the New Jersey primary.

Tuesday's elections took place amid new questions about party unity following a divisive weekend state party convention in Nevada. Supporters of Sanders tossed chairs and made death threats against the Nevada party chairwoman at the event in Las Vegas, arguing the party leadership rigged the results of the convention in favor of Clinton.

In a sign of the tensions between the two sides, Sanders issued a defiant statement Tuesday dismissing complaints from Nevada Democrats as "nonsense" and said his supporters were not being treated with "fairness and respect."

In California, Sanders urged the party to be welcoming to voters who are "prepared to fight for real economic and social change." Addressing the party's leadership, Sanders declared, "Open the doors, let the people in."

Trump won the only Republican contest in Oregon. The billionaire businessman picked up nine delegates earlier Tuesday in Guam, which held its territorial convention in March, and had 1,143 delegates heading into the Oregon contest — fewer than 100 delegates short of the 1,237 he needs to clinch the nomination.

For Democrats, 55 delegates were up for grabs in Kentucky and 61 delegates were at stake in Oregon. Clinton and Sanders will each pick up at least 25 delegates in Kentucky, with five delegates remaining to be allocated pending final vote tallies. In Oregon, Sanders will receive at least 28 delegates and Clinton at least 24 with the remaining delegates awarded according to vote tallies.

The Sanders campaign did not immediately say whether it will challenge the results in Kentucky, which does not have an automatic recount.

In Kentucky, the former secretary of state visited black churches, a small-town diner and held rallies on Sunday and Monday in an effort to break up Sanders' momentum after his recent victories in Indiana and West Virginia.

Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, was the last Democrat to carry the state in a presidential election — he won Kentucky in 1992 and 1996 — and the former first lady tried to emphasize those ties in the days leading up to the primary.

"I'm excited about the primary but we've got to turn a lot of people out," Clinton told a packed diner in Paducah, Ky., on Monday. "I'll tell you this. I'm not going to give up on Kentucky in November. I want to help to bring back the kind of economy that worked for everybody in the 1990s."

Nearing the end of a long primary slog, the two Democratic candidates are preparing for June 7 primaries in California, New Jersey and four other states and then the District of Columbia primary on June 14. When pledged delegates and superdelegates are combined, Clinton is now about 96 percent of the way toward securing the Democratic nomination.

Story: Ken Thomas / Associated Press

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