Chinese Firefighters Sprayed Water on Chemical Blaze, Report Said

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17 August 2015, 23:42

Smoke rises from debris at the Tianjin explosion site. EPA/WU HONG<br /> — Smoke rises from debris at the Tianjin explosion site. EPA/WU HONG

BEIJING (DPA) – Firefighters unknowingly sprayed water on a burning container at the site of deadly twin blasts in the Chinese city of Tianjin last week, according to an investigative report that was later taken offline.

The warehouse exploded in a huge fireball late Wednesday, killing at least 114 people. Officials have said several chemicals stored at the site were a fire hazard if in contact with water.

"We sprayed water on one container and after about 10 minutes, we heard sounds, then the container lit up," one firefighter was quoted as saying by Southern Weekend, one of mainland China's most-respected investigative publications.

Nobody warned the fire crew about any hazardous chemicals, he was quoted as saying in a report dated Thursday.

The report was quickly deleted but was cited in a report by the Beijing Youth Daily, accessed on Monday.

News of the report spread online over the weekend, as the government mouthpiece People's Daily called for patience, saying it was too early to identify the cause of the blast.

"Burning and explosions tend to destroy clues," it said. "The investigation could take a very long time. Impatience is useless," the paper wrote Monday.

In Monday testing, concentrations of sodium cyanide 27.4 times higher than safety standards was detected in surface wastewater at the site as firefighters raced to clear remaining barrels of the deadly chemical ahead of rain forecast for late Monday, an official said.

Five onsite water monitoring stations found excess levels of the toxic chemical, Bao Jingling, chief engineer of Tianjin's environmental protection bureau, told reporters.

Sodium cyanide, used in steel production and mining, is toxic by itself or in solution. In contact with water, it releases hydrogen cyanide gas, which is toxic, flammable and can be explosive.

Around 700 tons of sodium cyanide had been found intact, Bao was quoted as saying by Xinhua. The "unaffected" cyanide barrels were being trucked away, regional army commander Shi Luze was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. Leaking ones were being contained.

The warehouse operator had licence to store 10 tons of the hazardous compound, the South China Morning Post reported.

Some 18,000 containers, including 1,700-1,800 loaded with toxic chemicals, were damaged in the Tianjin blasts, said He Shushan, vice mayor of Tianjin, according to the New China News Agency.

Other news reports said the stocked chemicals included calcium carbide, which produces highly flammable acetylene when wet, as well as the potentially explosive compounds potassium nitrate and ammonium nitrate.

The confirmed death toll reached 114 Monday as rescuers found two more bodies in the debris, said Gong Jiansheng, deputy chief of Tianjin city publicity department.

At least 70 people are still missing and 698 were injured, including 57 in critical or serious condition. Most of the missing are firemen, Gong said.

A fresh explosion was reported early Monday and plumes of smoke were seen rising from the area just before 8 am (0000 GMT), according to China Central Television.

The blasts displaced 6,000 residents, Xinhua reported.

Prime Minister Li Keqiang visited the port city Sunday and bowed to portraits of the 21 dead firefighters.

He ordered the swift release of information about the explosions. Five days after the blast, no official explanation has been offered.

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Tourists Among 19 Killed by Bomb at Bangkok’s Erawan Shrine

By

Khaosod English

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17 August 2015, 19:18

A powerful blast left a scene of devastation Monday evening at Bangkok's Erawan Shrine, killing at least 16 people and injuring nearly 100. Several foreign tourists were among the dead.

BANGKOK — A bomb attack killed at least 19 people including tourists in the commercial heart of the Thai capital Monday evening.

At least 123 others were injured by the powerful blast, which hit a popular landmark heavily frequented by both Thais and tourists at 6:55pm.

One Filipino victim and two Chinese nationals were among those killed, outgoing police chief Somyot Pumphanmuang said. Twelve died at the scene and another seven have since died in hospital, according to the latest information from authorities.

“We have not discarded any possible motive,” Somyot said at a news conference at the Royal Thai Police headquarters, located meters away from the scene of the attack. Despite media reports indicating one bomb was attached to a utility pole while a second detonated from a motorcycle, Somyot denied a car bomb was involved, saying the bomb was planted on the scene.

While no one has taken credit for the attack and authorities said it’s too early to speculate, Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan told Reuters it was meant to harm Thailand’s economy.

“The perpetrators intended to destroy the economy and tourism because the incident occurred in the heart of the tourism district,” Prawit said.

What appears to be the center of the blast along a fence enclosing the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok.

Anusith Kunakorn of Thailand’s National Security Council said “details about the explosion are still confusing, so we cannot conclude whether it is about an accident or a political incident. Related authorities are urgently working to clarify this matter. Once we have conclusive information, we will inform the people.”

The bomb left a gruesome scene. Photos showed blood, bodies and human remains around the shrine as rescue workers rushed to provide aid near the shrine, which is a popular tourist destination.

Soon after the blast, police spokesman Prawuth announced bomb units were dispatched to the scene on suspicion there more bombs. Despite reports two more bombs were found and disarmed, Prawuth said they turned out to not be bombs.

CCTV footage of the attack

In images tweeted by JS 100 radio just after the blast, fires were burning in Sukhumvit Road, which runs through the capital’s cosmopolitan center.

Photos from the scene appeared to show an injured Caucasian woman being taken away on a stretcher.

There is no indication yet of what caused the explosion during rush hour. Roads around the area have been closed, and authorities said the area would remain closed Tuesday while the scene is investigated.

Surrounded by luxury malls and hotels, Rajaprasong intersection is in the heart of Bangkok’s commercial shopping district. The Erawan Shrine is an important, sacred symbol in the Thai capital. In 2006, a mentally ill young man damaged the shrine with a hammer and was immediately killed by an angry crowd.

An area popular with the Bangkok elite, it was also the epicenter of protracted anti-government street protests in 2010.

Earlier this year a small bomb detonated not far from the scene of tonight’s blast outside one of the capital’s most popular shopping malls.

No one was injured in the Feb. 1 attack which occurred during the evening between the Siam Paragon shopping mall and BTS Skytrain station. Authorities attributed that attack to political groups opposed to the military regime. Thailand has been under military rule since it seized power in May 2014.

In April a car bomb exploded in the basement of shopping mall on Koh Samui in southern Thailand, injuring seven people. The car used in the attack was reported stolen from a province the deep south, where security forces have been engaged in a long and bloody conflict with a homegrown insurgency movement seeking independence.

Despite widespread rumors online, the military government has not ordered businesses and schools closed tomorrow, according to junta spokesman Winthai Suwaree. The BTS Skytrain and MRT subway systems are expected to operate normally.

However, late Monday night, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration announced 438 schools in greater Bangkok will be closed.

The Thai International Red Cross Society announced it has adequate supplies of blood at this time.

Visitors leave offerings and pray at the Erawan Shrine in an undated file photo.

Image tweeted soon after the blast.

A body is covered in the middle of Sukhumvit Road.

Rescue workers tend to victims in the immediate aftermath of the blast.

Police officers at Ratchaprasong intersection.

Tourists Among 19 Killed by Bomb at Bangkok's Erawan Shrine

By

Khaosod English

-

17 August 2015, 19:18

BANGKOK — A bomb attack killed 19 people including tourists in the commercial heart of the Thai capital Monday evening.

At least 123 more were injured by the powerful blast which hit a popular landmark heavily frequented by Thais and tourists alike at 6:55 pm.

One Filipino victim and two Chinese nationals were among those killed, outgoing police chief Somyot Pumphanmuang said. Twelve died at the scene and another seven have since died in hospital, according to the latest information from authorities.

"We have not discarded any possible motive," Somyot said at a news conference at the Royal Thai Police headquarters, located meters away from the scene of the attack. Despite media reports indicating one bomb was attached to a utility pole while a second detonated from a motorcycle, Somyot denied a car bomb was involved, saying the bomb was planted on the scene.

While no one has taken credit for the attack and authorities said it's too early to speculate, Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan told Reuters it was meant to harm Thailand's economy.

"The perpetrators intended to destroy the economy and tourism because the incident occurred in the heart of the tourism district," Prawit said.

What appears to be the center of the blast along a fence enclosing the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok.

Anusith Kunakorn of Thailand's National Security Council said "details about the explosion are still confusing, so we cannot conclude whether it is about an accident or a political incident. Related authorities are urgently working to clarify this matter. Once we have conclusive information, we will inform the people."

The bomb left a gruesome scene. Photos showed blood, bodies and human remains around the shrine as rescue workers rushed to provide aid near the shrine, which is a popular tourist destination.

Soon after the blast, police spokesman Prawuth announced bomb units were dispatched to the scene on suspicion there more bombs. Despite reports two more bombs were found and disarmed, Prawuth said they turned out to not be bombs.

CCTV footage of the attack

In images tweeted by JS 100 radio just after the blast, fires were burning in Sukhumvit Road, which runs through the capital's cosmopolitan center.

Photos from the scene appeared to show an injured Caucasian woman being taken away on a stretcher.

There is no indication yet of what caused the explosion during rush hour. Roads around the area have been closed, and authorities said the area would remain closed Tuesday while the scene is investigated.

Surrounded by luxury malls and hotels, Rajaprasong intersection is in the heart of Bangkok's commercial shopping district. The Erawan Shrine is an important, sacred symbol in the Thai capital. In 2006, a mentally ill young man damaged the shrine with a hammer and was immediately killed by an angry crowd.

An area popular with the Bangkok elite, it was also the epicenter of protracted anti-government street protests in 2010.

Earlier this year a small bomb detonated not far from the scene of tonight's blast outside one of the capital's most popular shopping malls.

No one was injured in the 1 Feb. attack which occurred during the evening between the Siam Paragon shopping mall and BTS Skytrain station. Authorities attributed that attack to political groups opposed to the military regime. Thailand has been under military rule since it seized power in May 2014.

In April a car bomb exploded in the basement of shopping mall on Koh Samui in southern Thailand, injuring seven people. The car used in the attack was reported stolen from a province the deep south, where security forces have been engaged in a long and bloody conflict with a homegrown insurgency movement seeking independence.

Despite widespread rumors online, the military government has not ordered businesses and schools closed tomorrow, according to junta spokesman Winthai Suwaree. The BTS Skytrain and MRT subway systems are expected to be operating as normal.

However late Monday night, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration announced 438 schools in greater Bangkok will be closed.

The Thai International Red Cross Society announced it has adequate supplies of blood at this time.

Visitors leave offerings and pray at the Erawan Shrine in this file photo.

Image tweeted soon after the blast.

A body is covered in the middle of Sukhumvit Road.

Rescue workers tend to victims in the immediate aftermath of the blast.

Police officers at Rajaprasong intersection.

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

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Follow @KhaosodEnglish

Yingluck Breaks Silence on Junta’s Constitution [Transcript]

By

Khaosod English

-

17 August 2015, 18:56

Former PM Yingluck Shinawatra visits a durian orchard in Uttaradit province [Photo from Yingluck's Facebook]

BANGKOK — In a rare expression of political opinion, former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra today wrote about her concerns over Thailand’s new constitution, which is being drafted under the auspices of the ruling military junta.

Yingluck, who headed the government toppled by the junta in May 2014, posted the statement to her official Facebook page, a space usually reserved for photos of her trips to markets, temples and personal gatherings.

Below is Khaosod English’s translation of Yingluck’s statement in full:

Screenshot

Image of today's Facebook post by former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

"I’d like to exercise my right to present my opinion about the constitution, because this is the time when the NRC [National Reform Council], the government and the NCPO [National Council for Peace and Order] will make their decisions, and many sides have expressed their concerns and worries.

I hope that my opinion will help our country to be more democratic and more widely accepted.

The constitution must be democratic. Many people have heard me use this word many times. But I believe we may have had different interpretations. Essentially, it means “a democratic constitution has to be reliant on the people,” which is, we have to open the process so the majority of people can play important roles in voting and making decisions – instead of merely selecting the candidates that have already been screened by a group of people. That is not considered a truly democratic way.
If the constitution’s content and essence really serves the people and relies on the people, there is no need for the Committee of Reform Strategy and National Reconciliation, which will have power over the government and legislature to make decisions on behalf of the people. Even in crisis, the best thing to do in a democratic regime, which is accepted by all civilized nations around the world, is to have confidence in the people and return the power to make decisions to the people. That is the solution for the country.

Therefore, the burden on those in power is to urgently push for roles that are fair, free of fraud and accepted by all sides, in order to return normalcy to Thai society soon, so that the people can exercise their rights, choose candidates and policies to solve the problems in accordance with their beliefs, as they wish.

Returning the right to make these decisions is for the dignity of the people in democratic regime.
Peace and prosperity are the shared wish of the entire nation.

In order for a country to be peaceful, there needs to be fair rule. Our society has learned many lessons in the past, from conflicts that are bred from unfair sets of rules, and problems of justice not being equally dispensed to all sides.

Therefore the constitution should create an opportunity for everyone to access equality, and arrange the state to facilitate justice on all sides, in order to preserve happiness and reconciliation in the society.
Our country has been enough adversely affected and damaged. So, I’d like to ask all relevant people to please prioritize building confidence, equality and justice throughout all the land and to push for this country to return to normalcy as soon as possible.

The longer we delay this will not do us any good, especially in terms of the economy and livelihood which are urgent matters that need to be addressed right now. It will only cause damage and aggravate the suffering of people.

With my deepest concern."

Yingluck is a younger sister of Thaksin Shinawatra, former Prime Minister and the de facto leader of the Redshirt movement. Thaksin was removed from office in a military coup in 2006, and has been living in self-imposed exile since 2008, shortly before a court convicted him of corruption.

With support from the Redshirts, Yingluck was elected in 2011 in a landslide victory. She headed the government until protests erupted in November 2013, after her government attempted to pass an amnesty law that would have dissolved her older brother’s corruption conviction and paved the way for his return to Thailand.

Although the anti-government protests were initially focused on opposing the amnesty bill, emboldened protest leaders broadened their movement into a campaign seeking the ouster of Yingluck and her entire government. When she dissolved the House in December and called a snap election, protesters boycotted the poll, demanding that an unelected government be established to implement reforms in Thailand before any election can be held.

Eventually, in early May, the Constitutional Court removed Yingluck from office on the grounds that her cabinet unfairly transferred an official from his post in 2011. The military staged a coup against the remnants of her government two weeks later.

Yingluck has been keeping a relatively low profile since the military takeover, partly complying with the junta’s ban on all political activities. Nearly of all her public appearances have been private or family visits to markets, temples and other nonpolitical social gatherings.

Her last strongly-worded statement was issued in January after the junta-appointed interim parliament found her guilty of corruption and banned her from participating in politics for five years.

Full English Text of Yingluck's Post-Impeachment Statement

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

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Yingluck Breaks Silence on Junta’s Constitution [Transcript]

By

Khaosod English

-

17 August 2015, 18:56

Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra poses with students at a temple in Sisaket province on 7 July. Photo: Facebook

BANGKOK — In a rare expression of political opinion, former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra today wrote about her concerns over Thailand’s new constitution, which is being drafted under the auspices of the ruling military junta.

Yingluck, who headed the government toppled by the junta in May 2014, posted the statement to her official Facebook page, a space usually reserved for photos of her trips to markets, temples and personal gatherings.

Below is Khaosod English’s translation of Yingluck’s statement in full:

Screenshot

Image of today's Facebook post by former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

"I’d like to exercise my right to present my opinion about the constitution, because this is the time when the NRC [National Reform Council], the government and the NCPO [National Council for Peace and Order] will make their decisions, and many sides have expressed their concerns and worries.

I hope that my opinion will help our country to be more democratic and more widely accepted.

The constitution must be democratic. Many people have heard me use this word many times. But I believe we may have had different interpretations. Essentially, it means “a democratic constitution has to be reliant on the people,” which is, we have to open the process so the majority of people can play important roles in voting and making decisions – instead of merely selecting the candidates that have already been screened by a group of people. That is not considered a truly democratic way.
If the constitution’s content and essence really serves the people and relies on the people, there is no need for the Committee of Reform Strategy and National Reconciliation, which will have power over the government and legislature to make decisions on behalf of the people. Even in crisis, the best thing to do in a democratic regime, which is accepted by all civilized nations around the world, is to have confidence in the people and return the power to make decisions to the people. That is the solution for the country.

Therefore, the burden on those in power is to urgently push for roles that are fair, free of fraud and accepted by all sides, in order to return normalcy to Thai society soon, so that the people can exercise their rights, choose candidates and policies to solve the problems in accordance with their beliefs, as they wish.

Returning the right to make these decisions is for the dignity of the people in democratic regime.
Peace and prosperity are the shared wish of the entire nation.

In order for a country to be peaceful, there needs to be fair rule. Our society has learned many lessons in the past, from conflicts that are bred from unfair sets of rules, and problems of justice not being equally dispensed to all sides.

Therefore the constitution should create an opportunity for everyone to access equality, and arrange the state to facilitate justice on all sides, in order to preserve happiness and reconciliation in the society.
Our country has been enough adversely affected and damaged. So, I’d like to ask all relevant people to please prioritize building confidence, equality and justice throughout all the land and to push for this country to return to normalcy as soon as possible.

The longer we delay this will not do us any good, especially in terms of the economy and livelihood which are urgent matters that need to be addressed right now. It will only cause damage and aggravate the suffering of people.

With my deepest concern."

Yingluck is a younger sister of Thaksin Shinawatra, former Prime Minister and the de facto leader of the Redshirt movement. Thaksin was removed from office in a military coup in 2006, and has been living in self-imposed exile since 2008, shortly before a court convicted him of corruption.

With support from the Redshirts, Yingluck was elected in 2011 in a landslide victory. She headed the government until protests erupted in November 2013, after her government attempted to pass an amnesty law that would have dissolved her older brother’s corruption conviction and paved the way for his return to Thailand.

Although the anti-government protests were initially focused on opposing the amnesty bill, emboldened protest leaders broadened their movement into a campaign seeking the ouster of Yingluck and her entire government. When she dissolved the House in December and called a snap election, protesters boycotted the poll, demanding that an unelected government be established to implement reforms in Thailand before any election can be held.

Eventually, in early May, the Constitutional Court removed Yingluck from office on the grounds that her cabinet unfairly transferred an official from his post in 2011. The military staged a coup against the remnants of her government two weeks later.

Yingluck has been keeping a relatively low profile since the military takeover, partly complying with the junta’s ban on all political activities. Nearly of all her public appearances have been private or family visits to markets, temples and other nonpolitical social gatherings.

Her last strongly-worded statement was issued in January after the junta-appointed interim parliament found her guilty of corruption and banned her from participating in politics for five years.

Full English Text of Yingluck's Post-Impeachment Statement

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

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Truth Unchained: ‘Good Samaritan’ Concocts Tale to Dodge Debt

By

Khaosod English

-

17 August 2015, 18:19

A rescue worker cuts a chain tethering Pichai Angpasi's moto to his neck he said was put there by a couple early this morning he had stopped to lend aid to on a road in Prachinburi province. He later confessed to making it all up.

PRACHINBURI — Pichai Angpasi said he was just being a good Samaritan when he saw a man and woman walking their motorcycle along the side of the road early this morning and stopped to offer them help.

In the yarn he spun for authorities hours later, after he was found with a rusty chain around his neck and his moto, Pichai was the unwitting victim of a dastardly duo who robbed him at knifepoint along a road in Prachinburi province.

The problem with that story was that it was all made up, according to Police Col. Thaweesak Kerdpol, and fell apart under later questioning,

Why such a bizarre tale? Thaweesak said Pichai went full victim-mode to put off an overdue debt payment.

This morning Pichai told police he was dragged into the woods and robbed by a couple who then wrapped a chain around his neck and motorcycle.

After some routine questions about his story led to it falling apart, police said Pichai then confessed to being a fabulist.

Police said he told them he needed a way out from paying 3,000 baht for a debt he could not afford.

“So he made up the story to extend the deadline of his debt,” Thaweesak said, “The reason why he chose the story about chain around his neck and the robbery was because he wanted sympathy and pity.”

He said Pichai is being held for additional questioning and may face charges for filing a false report.

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‘Chaos’ Clause Empowers Unelected Panel to Seize Power

By

Khaosod English

-

17 August 2015, 17:41

Soldiers watch over an anti-government demonstration by Redshirt protesters at Bangkok's Democracy Monument on 10 April, 2010.

BANGKOK — An unelected committee stacked with members of the military would be empowered to seize control from Thailand’s elected government under a clause added to the draft constitution which is expected to go to voters in three weeks.

Academics and former elected politicos have expressed alarm over a clause creating a “Committee of Reform Strategy and National Reconciliation” vested with the authority to “commit or suppress” any action in the event an elected government is unable to exercise its power due to “chaos” in the country.

Voices from both side of the political divide have been critical of the clause, and critics of the junta see it as a way to establish a backdoor for maintaining its influence after a civilian government is restored.

Members of the Pheu Thai Party, which led Thailand until the May 2014 coup d’etat, said that Section 260 of the new charter would confer “dictatorial” power over future elected governments to an unelected body.

“It’s like a state within a state. They can dominate by this special power in the constitution,” former MP Samart Kaewmeechai told reporters today as he submitted an open letter on behalf of Pheu Thai urging charter drafters to drop Section 260 and other clauses it deems undemocratic. “This constitution is being written under the control and influence of a certain clique in order to perpetuate the power of that clique. In the end, this Committee of Reform Strategy will become a dictator.”

According to the clause formalized Tuesday by the drafters of the charter the committee could take action with the approval of two-thirds of its members, and any moves it made would be considered “final” and legally binding both legislatively and administratively.

Only two elected officials would sit on the 23-member committee: the prime minister and house speaker.

That raised an objection from Jantajira Iammayura, a law professor at Thammasat University. In an interview with Matichon, she said empowering bodies to handle crises was the domain of an elected government.

“When a natIon has a crisis, such as a severe natural disaster or war with other countries, these kind of organizations can be set under existing laws, with the prime minister seated at the top,” Jantajira said.

The remaining members of the panel would be the senate speaker, commander of the Thai Armed Forces, army chief, navy chief, air force chief, national police chief, a former House Speaker, a former Prime Minister and a former head of the Supreme Court.

Section 260 did not specify who would choose which former officials. Twelve other members would be selected by Parliament.

Former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, whose Democrat Party finds rare agreement with its Pheu Thai rivals, also expressed doubts over the clause.

“I understood the intention behind it, but I cannot see, in practicality, how it will be able to solve any problem,” he told reporters Thursday. His successor, former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra today took to Facebook to express concern the new constitution may be undemocratic, saying “there is no need” for an agency with such powers.

Supporters of the clause have sought to deflect criticism about its far-reaching powers by insisting the committee would provide a way out for the country in the event of political gridlock.

The deputy chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee likened the emergency power to a crucial emergency service.

“It’s like preparing a fire truck in the event of a fire,” Manit Suksomjhit said Friday. “If there’s no fire, there’s no need for the fire truck.”

Serving on the committee would be a “special duty,” he added.

“It’s a tool for solving problems that cannot be solved by the cabinet under its existing power and duty,” Manit said. “This is a special duty. It’s not a special power as many people have misunderstood. And these duties may be or may not be used at all. It depends on the situation.”

Running with Manit’s metaphor, Pheu Thai’s Samart today said, “I’m worried that some people will often try to light the fires themselves because they want the crisis to start.”

The new constitution – Thailand’s 20th – is being drafted under the oversight of the military junta which seized power amidst anti-government protests that paralyzed parts of Thailand.

The junta has promised elections in September 2016 at the earliest, with a new government to be formed by early 2017.

Since 2005, Thailand has been rocked by series of mass protests that sought to disrupt the governments and force them to step down from power. The campaigns have been driven alternatively by the Yellowshirts and Redshirts when the government has been led by their faction rivals.

In the latest cycle of seasonal uprisings, Yellowshirt protesters took to the streets in November 2013 to demand the Redshirt-backed government resign, citing corruption and nepotism in the administration.

Then-Prime Minister Yingluck responded by calling a snap election in February 2014, but the poll was boycotted by protest leaders, who insisted an unelected “People’s Council” be established to rule the country and implement reforms prior to any election.

Following months of protests and counter-protests in which more than 30 people died, the military stepped in and seized power, ostensibly to restore peace and order in the country.

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Compassion Proves Weak Link for Man Chained to Moto

By

Khaosod English

-

17 August 2015, 15:15

Tethered by the neck to his own motorcycle with its drive chain, Pichai Angpasi tells his story to a police officer this morning while waiting for help.

PRACHINBURI — Pichai Angpasi was just being a good Samaritan when he saw a man and woman walking their motorcycle along the side of the road early this morning.

UPDATE: Turns out he made the whole thing up to get out of paying a debt he couldn't afford.

Assuming they’d run out of gas and needed a hand, the 42-year-old Prachinburi man stopped his bike to put the question to them, according to the tale he would later tell of his early morning encounter.

“Have you run out of gas?” he asked them, helpfully.

The pair responded by whipping out long, sharp blades, at which point Pichai realized he was the one in need of rescue. Pichai said they grabbed him, dragged him into the woods, and stole his cash and phone before leaving the scene.

But not before they’d removed the drive chain from his scooter and wrapped it around Pichai’s neck and moto, possibly incensed he had tossed the key to it upon realizing he was being robbed. They fastened it with a lock they were carrying with them then left with the key.

A rescue worker cuts a chain taken from Pichai Angpasi's moto and used to tie his neck to it this morning by a couple he'd stopped to help on a road in Prachinburi province.

Dragging the moto now chained to his neck, Pichai made it back to the road, and a passer-by later found him at around 8 am.

As it turns out, police said that stretch of road is a popular place for robbery and assault. They said they are studying security cameras to identify suspects for arrest.

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Student Activist Steps Off Plane, Goes to Jail

By

Khaosod English

-

17 August 2015, 14:07

Taken into custody the day before at Don Mueang Airport, Songtham Kaewpanpruek greets supporters upon his release Sunday from the Pathumwan Police Station.

BANGKOK — A student activist was taken into custody Saturday after he stepped off a plane in Bangkok and held overnight for protesting the junta on the anniversary of its coup d’etat.

Three months after a warrant was issued for Songtham Kaewpanpruek over his role in organizing the 22 May protest, police arrested the 23-year-old student upon his return from a trip to Malaysia as he was passing through the immigration checkpoint at Don Mueang Airport.

He was taken to the Pathumwan Police Station for questioning and released Sunday at noon. No new charges were filed beyond those filed several months ago over his role in similar protests in June, police said.

Songtham is a third-year student at the Rajamangala University of Technology.

After being released, Songtham said he was confused by the detention because no one had interfered when he exited the country into Malaysia on 11 Aug. at a border crossing in southern Thailand. He said officers at the Padang Besar checkpoint merely asked him about the existing arrest warrants before allowing him to cross.

Songtham told reporters that during interrogation he insisted on his innocence and pledged to continue his anti-junta activism despite the charges.

“I will move ahead with my campaign, because this is about injustice,” he said.

Police
Police drag demonstrators away from a peaceful protest on May 22 at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre in Bangkok.

Pathumwan Police chief Col. Jarut Saruttayaporn said yesterday that Songtham was let go without posting bail on the condition he report to police at set dates and times yet to be determined.

“Mr. Songtham and his lawyer gave their word,” Jarut said.

All manner of protests and political activity has been outlawed in Thailand since the military junta seized power from the elected government in May 2014. Some violators of the ban have been sent to stand trial in martial court and face years in prison if convicted by military judges.

But small groups of students and activists have occasionally defied the ban with sit-ins and other flash protests, including a peaceful gathering in front of Bangkok Art and Cultural Center on 22 May, which was swiftly dispersed by police.

A total of nine people, including Songtham, were charged with illegal assembly for the brief protest. Songtham was also injured in his eye during the confrontation.

Songtham and 13 others later formed the anti-coup New Democracy Movement and staged a demonstration in Bangkok on 25 June. The next day, authorities arrested the 14 activists.

The 14 were held in prison for nearly two weeks during which time they refused to post bail, saying they did not recognize the tribunal’s legal authority. Facing an outcry over their detention, the martial court eventually granted them a temporary release. The activists still face charges which carry a maximum penalty of seven and a half years in prison.

Correction: An earlier version of this story indicated Songtham Kaewpanpruek, a third-year student, is 26 years old. He is 23.

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Phony 'Cambodian Masseuse' Snatches Russian Gold in Pattaya

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Khaosod English

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17 August 2015, 11:32

A Pattaya police officer poses with the purloined gold necklace and handbag belonging to a fake masseuse who lured a Russian this morning with false promise of a roadside massage.

CHONBURI — A woman claiming to be a Cambodian masseuse reportedly robbed a Russian tourist in the resort town of Pattaya this morning.

The 49-year-old Russian man told police four women approached him while he was sitting alone on Jomtien Beach at around 6 am and introduced themselves as Cambodian masseurs, said Police Lt. Sombat Kaewmoonsuk, an officer at Pattaya Police Station.

Three of the women later left, at which point the Russian accompanied the remaining woman to a “massage parlor” in Soi Wat Boonkanchanararm which consisted of a bamboo bed on the side of a street, Sombat said. She told the tourist to lie down for a massage, police said, then snatched the gold necklace from his neck and ran off.

After the Russian complained to the police, officers searched the area and found a woman’s purse with the victim’s gold necklace inside.

“The victim may have chased after the perpetrator, which frightened her into dropping the goods, and she has not returned to collect them,” Sombat said, adding that police are looking for the massage bandits.

Pattaya, a seaside enclave on the Gulf of Thailand, is well known for its red light district and high rate of crimes against foreigners.

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