BANGKOK — Thrisadee “Por” Sahawong is being mourned yet again online, thanks to a growing number of fake news hoaxes claiming he has died.
More bogus news stories about the funeral of the actor – who has been a media obsession since he fell into a coma nearly two months ago – have spread since Monday morning, this time made to look like online media companies Thairath and BEC-Tero Entertainment.
“Come and pay respect to Por,” read the headline on a story made to look like Thairath, while the fake site of BEC-Tero announced bathing rituals for the actor would be held at noon today.
The fake news stories came several days after a similar hoax targeted Khaosod newspaper. In all three cases, the fake items were widely shared online and drew a slew of condolences from the actor’s fans.
“My husband asked me this morning if Por’s dead already because he saw his friends share the news online. I told him that it’s a porn site,” wrote Facebook user Giing Giingkaew on the Drama-addict page. “People read the headline and believe it’s true. If they bother to click to read the content inside, they’d be a little less stupid.”
Clicking the articles leads users to hardcore porn sites.
Thairath announced it has filed a criminal complaint with police. Khaosod newspaper filed its own complaint Friday. Police reportedly said those responsible for the posts, namely Heedara.com, were likely outside of Thailand.
Junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha speaks to reporters today at Government House in Bangkok.
BANGKOK — The government today unveiled a new patriotic song that junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha reportedly wrote himself as a “New Year present” to Thais.
Titled “Because You Are Thailand,” the ballad is the second musical achievement of the retired general, whose previous song, “Returning Happiness to the People,” has been played on a loop on state-owned media agencies since he wrote and released it in June 2014.
Gen. Prayuth, who seized power from the elected government in May 2014, provided some insights into his latest work at today’s news conference.
“I wrote it as a personal New Year present for the people,” Gen. Prayuth said at Government House, according to Prachachat. “In the lyrics, it doesn’t only mean me, but it means the media, too, because everyone is united and I have to please them. I use my every breath to help this country move forward.”
Government officials unveiled lyrics to the song for the media Tuesday, and the song itself was later uploaded to Youtube on the same day. According to the video description, the song is performed by army sergeant Pongsathorn Porchi.
Here’s the song followed by an unofficial translation from Khaosod English:
“Because You Are Thailand”
The life that I was born into, you are what I uphold
I love you and bond with you more than anything
Because you are Thailand
I will not let anyone destroy you
Life is not permanent, but the country must always live on
I want to see you recover and be bright again
As long as I still breathe, I will not be daunted by any obstacles
If there are only two hands and one soul
The power won’t be enough to make dreams come true
But if all of us join hands and souls
The day that we hope for won’t be too far for our Thailand
If there are only two hands and one soul
The power won’t be enough to make dreams come true
But if all of us join hands and souls
The day that we hope for won’t be too far for our Thailand
Stride toward a great hope
I will return happiness to all of you
Apart from Prayuth’s personal projects, the military government also released two other songs to promote the regime’s message of reconciliation and unity.
One of them is called “Tomorrow,”which is played at the start of the junta announcements or TV programs on state media, while the other is a musical version of “Twelve Values,” a set of teachings penned by Gen. Prayuth.
NOTE: This article was updated to include the link to the song “Because You Are Thailand” on Youtube.
Photo of the van driver attempting to knife Thai PBS reporter Bancha Eiammeechai as provided by Bancha to the police.
Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter
AYUTTHAYA — A public van driver has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly chasing down a reporter who honked at him, with a knife.
Bancha Eiammeechai, a Thai PBS reporter, filed criminal charges today at Ayutthaya Police Station against the unidentified driver, who reportedly exited the van he was driving with a five-inch knife and pursued Bancha.
The altercation allegedly broke out after Bancha honked his horn at the van driver Monday as they passed over a bridge because he was swerving dangerously. According to Bancha, when the two vehicles got stuck in a traffic, the driver approached Bancha’s car menacingly, prompting him and his sister to flee the vehicle.
At that point, Bancha told Matichon Online, the driver caught up with him and stabbed at him but missed. The driver turned and fled the scene after Bancha and his sister started snapping photos of him, he added.
“It’s lucky that we didn’t get hurt, because we managed to dodge the knife … and in this incident, the van driver was only armed with a knife. If it were a gun, think about what could have happened?” Bancha said in Matichon Online. “This kind of behavior is not only dangerous to me, but it’s dangerous to the road traffic.”
He added that such violent road rage could have greater consequences.
“It also destroys tourism in the province, as a city of World Heritage that is full of dangers on the roads,” Bancha said.
Col. Bhumisitthi Nawang, commander of Ayutthaya Police Station, said police are seeking an arrest warrant for the unidentified van driver on a charge of attempted murder.
Interprovincial public vans in Thailand are notorious for their frequent accidents. Road rage and threatening behavior occasionally make it into national news.
Christmas tree in front of Central World shopping mall in Bangkok, Dec 18, 2015
BANGKOK — Somjai Chalitungkul, 57, said she has lived long enough to remember the time when the only signs of Christmas celebration were confined to her own family and a local Catholic community.
“We used real pines for Christmas trees. Father [the priest] had to cut and bring them to the church on his own, because Christmas trees weren’t widely sold in shops,” Somjai said of her memories of the Catholic enclave around St. Louis Church off lower Sathorn Road.
In recent years, the icons of Christmas have proliferated throughout Thailand’s major cities. Bangkok’s high-end shopping malls seek to outdo each other with increasingly elaborate displays, while inside, Christmas music plays nonstop. Restaurants offer Christmas dinners, and shops sell presents to be colorfully wrapped and festooned with ribbons.
The prominence of Christmas in Thailand is striking, given that 95 percent of Thais are Buddhist, and only 0.5 percent identify as Christian.
All the spectacle and marketing reflect that Christmas in the kingdom is an overwhelmingly commercial enterprise unrelated to religion, a number of Christians said. But while some Christians in the West lament the commercialization of the increasingly secular holy day, those Khaosod English spoke to said they don’t mind it – or, more precisely, “Mai pen rai.”
Christmas tree art in front of the Siam Paragon shopping mall Friday in Bangkok.
Somjai is one of those Christians. Although she said Buddhist merchants could do better “by adding an explanation of Christmas along with the goods,” she welcomes the heightened visibility of Christmas in the Kingdom, because it also makes Christians more visible to Thai people.
“My students were Buddhist, so they asked me about it,” said Somjai, who used to work as a teacher. “And I got the opportunity to explain to them about Jesus.”
Her opinion was shared by Rev. Eakarat Hompratum, a priest at Assumption Cathedral, who said Christmas is good “PR” without which Thai Christians would be an invisible group.
“Since businesses are decorated with Christmas themes and play Christmas songs, we have to thank them,” Eakarat said. “It’s like PR for our faith. It feels like the entire country is celebrating Christmas. It helps people to know more about Christians, even though they may not know much.”
Rev. Eakarat Hompratum poses Friday in front of Assumption Cathedral in Bangkok.
He said it’s up to his fellow Christians to inform Buddhists about the religious meaning of Christmas.
Rev. Tim Eady, head of Christ Church Bangkok, said he often expresses dismay about the commercialization of Christmas to his congregation.
“I see what happens in Bangkok also happening in London and the United Kingdom,” said Eady, a Briton who has lived in Thailand three years. “While I have been here, it has always been a commercial event. Bangkok is like many other cities in the world. Christmas is marked by people who have little idea of what it means.”
The significance of the holiday may have been lost in translation among Thai Buddhists, according to Jumrud Pongpanichnugul, who converted to Christianity from Buddhism.
“My family is Buddhist. At first, we didn’t know much about Christmas. We thought it was a New Year celebration for Westerners,” said Jumrud, from the Phra Pradaeng area. He said he only learned of its religious aspects after studying the religion 18 years ago, which eventually led to his conversion.
Jumrud said he goes to church for Christmas service every year, prompting his Buddhist family to ask him what Christmas was really all about. “Even though [Christmas decorations] don’t really explain much, it may make some people curious,” he said.
At Christ Church Bangkok, a member of Eady’s Anglican congregation said she was not troubled by the lack of religion in Thai-style Christmas celebrations.
“I doubt it would drive people to Christianity, because people don’t know about the Christian meaning behind it, but I’m happy to see people happy and rejoicing for Christmas,” Gini Crompton said.
The Englishwoman said there’s nothing new about the commercialization of Christmas.
“I’m not offended. I’m sad, but it’s a worldwide phenomenon … It’s not just Thailand,” she said, adding that commerce will always find a way to sell products.
On Thursday night, many Christian communities in Bangkok will mark Christmas Eve at both religious services and church fairs. Eakarat said it’s common to see Buddhists at these events held by Assumption Cathedral, because Christians like to bring their friends, families and partners. That is why he believes festivities are a big part of Christmas.
“It’s not a core element, true, but if there’s no celebration of Christmas, Thailand would be really quiet,” Eakarat said.
Rev. Tim Eady inside Christ Church Bangkok on Friday
Eady said that, even with all the noise made, the meaning may be lacking for Buddhist observers.
“They must find it confusing, because they don’t see much of the religion behind it,” he said.
Nevertheless, some Buddhists join his Christmas service every year, he said, “because they enjoy Christmas carols. We have people who feel they want to do something for Christmas. I welcome them.”
James Wilson, an Edinburgh native who recently settled in Bangkok, said he used to work in sales and understands how Christmas is naturally used as a marketing tool.
“But I don’t feel offended or annoyed about it,” he said.
He delights in the fact Christmas has become more popular in the Buddhist kingdom in recent years.
“Everything is celebrated differently around the world, and Thais love to celebrate everything,” Wilson said. “Thais are very accepting, they are interested in what’s happening in the world. Not all countries are this receptive.”
PHANG NGA — A friendly whale shark showed up off Koh Kho Khao in Phang Nga province this morning while volunteer divers were picking up garbage from the sea.
The divers said the shark was about 7-meters long and weighed more than 4 tons. Amatuer diver Asirawat “Pin” Choochote took several photos.
Pin, who has practiced diving for only a year, said she was excited to see the whale shark with up close. The shark came within 3 meters, and she grabbed her camera to take a photo.
In October, whale sharks became the 18th registered protected species by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
Whale sharks in the Andaman are popular with tourists, as they are not shy and appear to have “friendly” behavior, however conservationists have worried about harmful fishing practices which have injured several in the past.
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station launch complex in Florida, USA on 21 May 2012. Photo: Erik S. Lesser/EPA
WASHINGTON — Private space flight company SpaceX successfully returned a rocket to Earth following a satellite launch Monday after two earlier attempts failed.
The Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at about 8:30pm yesterday and its first stage returned back to the launch pad approximately 10 minutes later.
The second stage of the vehicle continued on its mission carrying 11 satellites to low-Earth orbit for the company Orbcomm.
The flight was the company's first since a SpaceX rocket carrying supplies to the International Space Station in June exploded, a blow to NASA's increased reliance on commercial providers for deliveries to the station.
Two previous SpaceX attempts to land a used rocket on platforms floating in the ocean failed, but rival Blue Origin, the space venture led by Amazon head Jeff Bezos, last month announced the successful test flight of its own reusable rocket.
The development of a reusable rocket is considered key in lowering the cost of space flight as NASA turns over the transport to the International Space Station of goods, and eventually astronauts, to private companies.
Since the retirement of the U.S. space shuttle fleet in 2011, the U.S. has relied on Russian Soyuz craft to take astronauts to the station and hopes to begin using U.S. commercial spacecraft operated by Boeing and SpaceX to allow it shift its own attention to reaching an asteroid and eventually Mars.
Story: Anne K Walters / DPA
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Thanet Anantawong sits at left Monday at Thammasat University.
By Pravit Rojanaphruk
Senior Staff Writer
BANGKOK — An anti-coup activist who was whisked away from hospital and detained in a secret cell for five days said his room had no view to the outside world and poor ventilation.
Thanet Anantawong, 25, who is facing a charge of sedition for views expressed on social media, said he was blindfolded after this arrest and taken by men wearing motorcycle helmets by car to an undisclosed location.
Thanet described the location to Khaosod English as being small, about 4 meters by 4 meters, with three solid wood windows shut and no view to the outside world except for a small hole several millimeters wide through one of the windows.
The malfunctioning portable air-conditioner on the floor was marked with a dealer’s sticker from Kanchanaburi province, but Thanet said he had no clue of the facility’s location. Thanet said there was a CCTV attached to the ceiling at one end of the room, which had a small attached shower room with a toilet.
The man said he was accused of being a key member of the New Democracy Movement, a charge he denied.
Thanet was granted bail and released Friday, five days after he said he was arrested in his room at Sirindhorn Hospital in Bangkok. Thanet also confirmed that he was suffering an intestinal infection, but said he did not have a hernia. He said he's closed his Facebook account for fearing of further prosecution.
Pro-democracy activist leader Siriwith Seritiwat said many fellow activists are now in fear of abduction by the military regime. Thanet’s was not the only case in which authorities wouldn’t confirm his arrest for several days, leading to concerns of forcible disappearance.
Neung Kaetsakul, 28, an activist who also boarded a train in a failed attempt to visit the scandal-plagued Rajabhakti Park in Hua Hin has been reported missing since Saturday by friends and family members, who said he can’t be reached.
From the left, that’s guitarist Non, guitarist Boss, vocalist Boat, bassist Nut and drummer Yim of Somkiat.
BANGKOK — “Hi. My name is Boat. I studied at Mahidol University,” singer Kanawin “Boat” Cheartaw stuttered when told an interview was for English-language media, sending his four bandmates into laughter.
Five years after covering their favorite bands got them noticed, Somkiat has proven with their first album that producing solid, rhythmic music can sell records and break through without the support of Big Music. Their November album, “_SARA,” came just as they gained some notoriety for a song featured in “Hormones the Series.”
In short: good music both mainstream normals and subculture hipsters can enjoy.
It was in 2010 that Non, Boss, Boat, Nut and Yim covered Modern Dog’s “Ta Sawang” and Arctic Monkeys’ “Certain Romance” and placed first in the Coke Music Awards. Today, the entire first-run of “_SARA” is sold out less than a month after it released.
Named for a common Thai name with a swell meaning (“prestige” or “dignity”), Somkiat came together in 2008 when they were students at Mahidol University’s College of Music.
The same five guys then are the same five guys now: Kanawin “Boat” Cheartaw (vocals), Purich “Boss” Phansook (guitar), Thanon “Non” Sanglek (guitar/vocals), Nut Benjarongrat (bass) and Prawith “Yim” Hansten (drummer/eye candy).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lixRgJ64FmY
Somkiat at the final round of Coke Music Awards 2010
KE: What do you think about the direction of the music industry these days?
Somkiat: We think that these days, there is no line to say that this or that genre is better than others. Contemporary music is genre-blending without limit. It’s getting harder to give the bands and their songs categories.
For example, our label mates Polycat mixes varied characteristics of ‘80s music, pop and R&B together. We don’t think focusing on the music genre is important anymore. To be able to express our feelings from the core into the songs is more important.
We think our album selling out is a good sign because some people say “physical CDs are now dead.” We don’t think it’s true.
KE: Some of your fans say they know Arctic Monkeys from you, how do you feel about that?
Somkiat: We all thought it’d be a lot of fun to play Arctic Monkeys, even not though not many Thai people knew them at the time. But we all agreed if we covered the band, maybe we could find someone who liked Arctic Monkeys too.
KE: How did you choose those four British bands; Arctic Monkeys, Swim Deep, Everything Everything and Superfood?
Somkiat: Actually, we had different inspirations, but we shared them and talked it through to find our common interests. We listened to these bands since they started. We can sense they’re playful and experimental, just like our band. We want to try new things, we want to do something fun without having to define ourselves that we’re only this or that type of band and need to stick with one pattern.
KE: So Somkiat are not gonna define themselves?
Somkiat: Well, if we really need to define ourselves, I’d say we’re alternative-indie, rock-pop. But we think it depends on the audience. We do our thing here and let the audience decide.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRIZtsn5guU
Somkiat cover of Arctic Monkeys’ “Crying Lightning”
Boat: Singing in English is not usually my thing. But when it comes to singing Arctic Monkeys, I found it very challenging yet fun.
Well, apart from “Certain Romance” which we played in the final round of the Coke Music Awards, we also played many Arctic Monkeys tracks such as “Teddy Picker,” “The View from the Afternoon,” “Crying Lightning” and “I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor” both at the contest, in bars and restaurants.
KE: Why the underscore (_) in the new album’s name?
Somkiat: Well, we want to stress the word “sara” [Ed. note: “substance”], but we let the audience decide and fill in the blank about whether we do or don’t have substance (laughing.)
KE: Since you covered Arctic Monkeys and won the Coke Music Awards in 2010, how will your upcoming concert at “Indieinspiration 2” be different?
Somkiat: We don’t want to be just an Arctic Monkeys’ cover band that gets praised for a perfect imitation. We want to be Somkiat, who happen to play some Arctic Monkeys songs in our own style and tell stories from our own perspectives.
KE: Have any plans make songs in English?
Somkiat: No, we don’t. We think we should do our best in Thai and instead get our voices internationally recognized. Look at “Gangnam Style,” it blew up worldwide despite being sung in Korean. Also, English is not our mother-tongue, we don’t think we can produce our best singing in another language.
Boat: I can’t even introduce myself fluently. (Others laugh)
Somkiat: We want to encourage other bands to come out, fearless, and try to make it as musicians. There are still many people out there who are interested and will support good work.
“Chang Man” (Whatever) was featured in season three of “Hormones the Series”
Somkiat is signed to Smallroom. In March the band will perform tracks from their first album and covers by Arctic Monkeys, Swim Deep, Everything Everything and Superfood at “Indieinspiration 2“at Live House Bangkok, Chatuchak Green.
FIFA President Joseph Blatter appears at a press conference at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, today. Photo: Ennio Leanza / EPA
BERLIN — FIFA president Joseph Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini were banned from football for eight years today by the ethics committee of football's world governing body.
Both are banned from all football-related activity nationally and internationally with immediate effect, the adjudicatory chamber of the FIFA ethics committee ruled.
The chamber ruled there were ethic breaches concerning a "disloyal payment" of CHF 2 million (72.6 million baht) made to Platini in 2011.
The ban effectively ends Blatter's career as football's leading administrator and Platini's hopes of succeeding him as FIFA president.
Blatter and Platini were provisionally suspended for 90 days on Oct. 8 in connection with the payment that Platini received in 2011 for FIFA work done between 1998 and 2002.
Both Blatter and Platini have denied any wrongdoing and it is thought they could take their cases to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Luasanne, Switzerland.
Blatter was to lay down his mandate as FIFA president at an extraordinary congress on Feb. 26 next year, and former France playing star Platini had hoped to succeed him.
Blatter and Platini were suspended after the Swiss attorney general in September opened criminal proceedings against Blatter. Platini, the head of European football's organizing body, was named "a person asked to provide information" by the authorities.
The case against them revolves around the payment made to Platini in 2011. Both Blatter and Platini say it was part of an agreement made for work carried out when Platini was employed as an adviser for Blatter.
Both concede that no written agreement was made for the payment, with Blatter saying recently there had been a "gentlemen's agreement."
It remains unclear why Platini received the money nine years later – at a time when Blatter was seeking support for a fourth term as president and facing a major challenge from Qatar's Mohamed Bin Hammam.
Blatter, 79, has presided over FIFA since 1998 and wanted to step down on his own terms by chairing the February congress. Platini, the 60-year-old former France international captain and UEFA boss since 2007, had been seen as the leading candidate for the post.
Story: Barry Whelan / DPA
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BANGKOK — Take your dog, take your kid or go solo to a pet- and hipster-friendly outdoor space to celebrate the winter cool.
The M.A.P. Weekend Fest returned this past weekend and will be held again Friday through Sunday with street stalls, food trucks, handmade crafts, DIY workshops and live music. Dogs and other furry companions are welcome to show off their cuteness.
On Sunday, children gathered around a clown performing magic tricks while couples slurped down oysters at a bar. Reality television singer “Aey the Voice” opened the evening’s musical acts by belting out the Beatles’ “Across the Universe.”
The M.A.P. Weekend Fest opens 4pm to midnight at Whizdom 101, a mixed-use development between sois Sukhumvit 101 and 101/1 or a short walk from BTS Punnawithi.
If you’re looking for a chill Christmas Day hangout, the market returns Friday through Sunday at the same location.
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