Police Officer Denies Slapping Russian Tourist

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1 January 2014, 19:38

(1 January) A police officer in Pattaya has denied that he had slapped a Russian tourist as depicted in a video which has gone viral on the Internet last week.

The video showed a Caucasian woman arguing with the police officer, barring two Thai men from towing away her motorcycle as ordered by the officer. She then used her mobile phone to record the incident, and the video showed the officer attacking the woman before walking away.

Pol.Col. Suwan Chiawnawinthawat, Chief of Pattaya Police Station, told our correspondent that he has ordered an investigation commission to probe the matter.

He vowed to punish the office in the most severe manner possible if he had been found guilty, as the incident has harmed the image of Pattaya tourism industry.

However, Pol.Sen.Sgt.Maj. Nopkrit Phonwattanathanakit identified himself to Khaosod as the office seen in the video, and denied the allegation.

The 40 year old traffic police officer claimed he stopped the Russian woman and her Russian boyfriend after they allegedly drove their motorcycle in a wrong direction of the road. Pol.Sgt. Nopkrit also said he realised that the man was driving without a driver license.

The officer then reportedly handed a ticket to the man and advised him to pay for the ticket at the police station, and kept their motorcycle key with him as he continued to patrol the area. The Russian woman waited for her boyfriend at the motorcycle, he added.

When Pol.Sgt. Nopkrit returned, he said, he saw the Russian woman attempting to move the vehicle away from where he left her, and he called a vehicle towing company to confiscate the motorcycle, because he feared it might be "lost".

The Russian tourist became upset and tried to take a picture of the police officer, leaving him no choice but to wave his hand to swipe the phone away, Pol.Sgt. Nopkrit insisted.

"I have never touched her," Pol.Sgt. Nopkrit said, "I would never harm women like that, because they are the gender of my mother".

He also called on the media to report the incident with fairness.

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Nearly 300 Killed In New Year Season Road Accidents

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1 January 2014, 18:54

A deadly road accident in Nakhon Ratchasima province, 29 December 2013

(1 January) At least 266 people have been killed in 2,355 road accidents which have occurred during the 5-day New Year vacation season, police said.

More than 2,500 people have also been injured by these accidents since the long vacation started on 27 December, according to the police statistics.

The statistics are recorded as part of the campaign for road safety. Roads connecting Bangkok with upcountry provinces and major tourist attractions are heavily congested during the holiday season, and they are notorious for numerous road accidents.

On 31 December alone, for instance, 537 accidents occurred in Thailand’s 77 provinces.

47.86% of the road accidents throughout the New Year season are reportedly caused by drunk driving, and a vast majority – 83.99% – of the accidents involved motorcycles.

Chiang Mai tops the list as the province that had witnessed the most accidents: at least 28 times on 31 December alone, which resulted in the highest number of injuries of 31 people.

In Buriram and Suphanburi, three people were reported death in each of the provinces, which is the highest on the New Year’s Eve.

The authorities have previously set up 2,254 checkpoints operated by 64,943 police officers and other related officials, which have inspected more than 685,000 vehicles.

So far, 30,664 people have been ticketed for their driving with no driving license, and 29,520 people punished for not wearing safety helmets.

Pol.Lt.Gen. Rueangsak Jaritek, Deputy Chief of the Royal Thai Police, praised 12 provinces that had not seen any deadly road accident at all, including Phayao, Mae Hong Son, Buengkan, Yasothon, Chanthaburi, Chainat, Trad, Nakhon Nayok, Samut Songkhram, Sing Buri, Pattani, Phang-nga.

Although the largest accumulative number of accidents occurred in Nakhon Sawan, 89 times, Nakhon Ratchasima ranks as the province that had witnessed most deaths and injuries.

ML. Panadda Ditsakul, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Interior Ministry, said that driving under the influence of alcohol is the most common cause of the road accident. He also urged the provincial authority to enforce the law strictly during 1–2 January in order to curb on DUI cases.

Police officials have been similarly encouraged to arrange check points on shortcut routes, dangerous routes, and U-turn points to avoid any possible accidents before the long holiday ends.

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New Year Day Gang Fights At Mo Chit Terminal Kill 5

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1 January 2014, 18:00

(1 January) Police in Bang Sue district are investigating a deadly clash between two rival gangs near the busy Mo Chit Bus Terminal on New Year Day which killed at least 5 people.

The incident took place at 01.30 at the terminal, which situates in northern Bangkok, when teenage members of a gang in Prachachuen district arrived at an internet cafe inside Mo Chi Terminal to play computer games. However, police said, they soon got in a fight with some taxi-motorcyclists at the terminal who were reportedly annoyed by the youths? noise inside the internet cafe.

The taxi-motorcyclist gang members also reportedly confiscated two motorbikes belonging to the Prachachuen gang youths. The youths then phoned their fellow gang members for reinforcement, police said, and around 15 people from Prachachueng gang showed up with firearms and other weapons.

According to the police, a large group of taxi-motorcyclists were drinking alcohol and celebrating New Year Day when Prachachuen gang arrived at the station and attacked the taxi-motorcyclist gang.

The fight left Mr. Puttisak Klonklaew, 24, and Mr. Attachai Intachote, 21, dead with gunshot wounds at the scene; both are described as members of the motorcyclist gang.

10 injured were later transported to hospitals, where 3 of them later died of their wounds: one 42 year old Prachachuen gang member who suffered from several gunshots and stabs, and two taxi-motorcyclist gang, identified as Mr. Anusorn Modkula, 27; and Mr. Payu Sae-Jew, 25.

Over 30 bullet cases were found at the scene, police said.

Pol.Col.Charoen Srisalak of Bang Sue Police Station said that the investigation team is searching for the suspects involved in clashes, after CCTV recorded the identity of at least one gang member.

Police also seized one motorcycle from the scene, and believed that it could lead to the suspects. Bang Sue Police said they would issue arrest on the suspects when more evidences have been gathered.

Injured gang members are named as Mr. Thanakorn Kaewdee, 32, Mr. Sawad Tanawilai, 32, Mr. Amphon Khemuta, 36, Mr. Wipak Tiamduang, 26, Mr. Channarong Sa-Hed, 22 and Mr. Phinyo Kaewpho, 23.

Although gang fights are common in Thailand, it is rare for such fights to cause as many casualties as the incident at Mo Chi Terminal.

The audacity of the fights last night is also remarkable, since Mo Chi Terminal is frequented by both Thai and foreign tourists who were traveling outside Bangkok during the New Year season.

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PCAD Waiting For Suthep's Order On 'Bangkok Shutdown'

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1 January 2014, 16:40

Anti-government protesters at their encampment on Ratchadamnoen Avenue, 31 December 2013

(1 January) Spokesman of the anti-government protest leadership has said the details of the plan to shutdown Bangkok is known only to its leader, Mr. Suthep Thaugsuban.

The People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) has previously threatened to put Bangkok in a massive gridlock "after New Year" as the means to pressure the government into canceling the upcoming general election.

PCAD leaders have demanded for a drastic reform to be implemented and an unelected ?People′s Council? installed as a transitional government before any election is allowed to take place, arguing that the current political system is rigged in favour of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her allies.

However, ever since he announced the plan to shutdown Bangkok last week, Mr. Suthep has not disclosed specific details of the strategy. Government officials warned that Mr. Suthep is intending to disrupt major roads and public transportation such as the BTS or the MRT.

But PCAD spokesman, Mr. Ekkanat Prompan, said in a press conference today that Mr. Suthep′s grand strategy of Bangkok shutdown has been "misinterpreted" in the media.

He denied that the PCAD is planning to shutdown public transportation as reported in the press, adding that the public should wait for Mr. Suthep himself to make announcements about the strategy in the future, since Mr. Suthep is the only one with a full knowledge of the plan.

Mr. Ekkanat also said the PCAD has sent representatives to visit injured protesters who are currently admitted in hospitals.

The protesters, who have been camping on Ratchadamnoen Avenue in Bangkok, have been visibly fewer in number during the New Year holiday season. The protest site has also been converted into a fun fair featuring game stalls and musicians performing on the rally stage.

Correction: Due to an editorial error, the name of the anti-government protest leadership appeared as ?People′s Committee for Absolute Monarchy With the King As Head of State?. It should have read ?People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State?. The mistake has now been fixed.

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8 Indian Tourists Hurt By BTS Escalator Fall

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1 January 2014, 15:51

(1 January) 8 Indian tourists have been reportedly injured by their fall from an escalator on Phayathai BTS station today.

Officials at the station said the tourists were "making fun of each other" during their escalator ride, causing one of them to slip and fell into other tourists below the stairs. The entire group eventually tumbled down the escalator.

The Indian tourists were described as 3 men and 5 women, and all of them are reportedly "elderly" persons. The staff have applied first aid to the tourists and later transported them to hospital.

As a connection point to Airport Rail Link, Phayathai BTS station is frequented by many foreign visitors to Thailand, but there is no report of other tourists or passengers injured in the incident.

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PM Yingluck Silent After Meeting With Prem

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1 January 2014, 14:51

(1 January) Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has refused to say whether she has talked about the ongoing political crisis with Head of the Privy Councilor during their meeting earlier this morning.

Ms. Yingluck, who also serves as caretaker Minister of Defence, paid the visit to Gen. Prem Tinlasulanond at his official residency in Bangkok′s Dusit district along with commanders of the armed forces, including Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army.

Officials described the meeting as a private meeting in which Ms. Yingluck intends to convey her New Year greetings to and receive blessing from the elderly Gen. Prem. Reporters were not allowed inside Gen. Prem′s house throughout talk, which lasted for about an hour and a half.

Ms. Yingluck told reporters later that Gen. Prem has advised her to take heed to New Year message from His Majesty the King, in which the monarch called for unity of all Thais.

Asked whether she has discussed any political issue with Gen. Prem, Ms. Yingluck simply smiled and left the press conference. Gen. Prayuth similarly refused to respond to journalists? question about the matter.

However, it was extremely unlikely that the political crisis which has been gripping Thailand for months has not been discussed by the group.

As a Privy Councilor, Gen. Prem is widely seen as a close royal subject of His Majesty the King and a powerful figure among the Thai armed forces. Supporters of the Redshirts movements have accused Gen. Prem of engineering the 2006 military coup which ousted Ms. Yingluck′s brother, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra.

The meeting also came at a time amid the fears that the military might intervene to put an end to the clashes which pitted Ms. Yingluck′s government against the protesters led by People′s Committee for Absolute Monarchy With the King As Head of State (PCAD).

Gen. Prayuth has told the media last week that he had not ruled out the possibility of another military coup, saying it depends on the situation and that "anything can happen".

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Robbers Prey On 'Lucky New Year' Temple-Goers

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1 January 2014, 14:25

(1 January) Robbers have stolen belongings from the vehicles of several temple-goers who attended a New Year blessing ceremony in Nakhon Ratchasima province.

The incident took place at the parking lot of Wat Pa Salawan in Mueang district. The suspects have broken the car windows with bricks and stolen valuable items such as ATM cards, wallets, and mobile phones.

One of the targeted carowners, Ms. Kanyapon Thitikhunchote, said she attended the New Year′s Eve prayer session at the temple with her husband for good luck, and she is much saddened by the theft.

Police said investigation is ongoing.

A popular activity in recent years, New Year′s Eve prayer session (Suad Mon Kaam Pi) was held in numerous temples across the country last night for Thais who prefer to start a new year with holy blessing.

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Official Combat Road Accidents By Monk Prayers

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28 December 2013, 13:15

(28 December) Officials in Thung Tako district of Chumphon province have unveiled the latest tool to combat the notoriously large number of road accidents during New Year season: monk incantation.

District Director Wachira Pandusa led a merit making ceremony along a section of the Asian Highway Network, AH2, which runs through the province, in which a group of monks blessed holy water and sprayed the said substance on the road to chase away evil spirits which are believed to have caused frequent deaths and accidents on the road.

According to the officials, the eviction of bad spirits will prevent future accident and help boost the morale of motorists.

However, Mr. Wachira also stressed that road safety depends on the commuters? caution and willingness to follow safe driving practice.

Volunteers from ?Stop Drink Network? and a group of student reinforced the message by joining the ceremony to promote a campaign against drunk-driving habit during the festive season. The volunteers also organised a service stop at Khao Peeb Intersection where drivers are given wet napkins to refresh themselves.

“It is crucial not to drink and drive, not to drive too fast, and not to drive while you are too tired”, said Mr. Wachira, “Our district had prepared the service point to facilitate the drivers when they are looking for a stopover, and we had instructed officials to carefully monitor the roads to prevent any accidents.”

Reportedly, the authority also renamed the Asian Highway Network in the district area as “Mongkhol Road (Holy Road)”, to strengthen the luck of all commuters and passengers.

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Drive-By Shooting Kills 1 Anti-Govt Protester

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28 December 2013, 13:01

(28 December) One anti-government protester has been killed and three more injured in a drive-by shooting on their protest sites earlier this morning.

Witnesses said a car carrying a group of unidentified male individuals pulled up near the anti-government protesters? encampment at Chamai Maruchet Bridge in governmental district of Bangkok at 03.15 today.

The assailants then reportedly rolled down the window and fired an M16 rifle at the group of protest guards positioned near the rally site and quickly fled the scene.

Soon afterwards, the same vehicle parked at another rally site at Missakawan Intersection and the gunmen discharged unknown rounds of ammunition at the protest volunteer guards there, then sped away, according to witnesses.

Four anti-government protest guards have been wounded by the gunfire, and one of them later died at hospital. One of the injured protesters is said to be in critical condition.

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2 Feb Election Goes Ahead As Planned: PM Yingluck

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27 December 2013, 18:26

Anti-government protesters rallying in front of PM Yingluck Shinawatra's residence, 26 December 2013

(27 December) Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has insisted today that the general election on 2 February 2014 will proceed as planned, Royal Thai Army spokesperson said.

Col. Thanathip Sawangsaeng said Ms. Yingluck has expressed her concerns about the incident yesterday in which anti-government protesters attempted to disrupt the election registration at Thai-Japanese stadium, leading to a deadly clash between anti-government protesters and the police.

Nevertheless, the Prime Minister would not cancel the election and has requested the presence of military personnel to help oversee election units on the appointed election date to ensure the safety of the public, Col. Thanathip added.

The remark came a day after Mr. Suphachai Somcharoen, president of the Election Commission (EC), spoke in a press conference that the government must postpone the poll indefinitely.

As long as the conflict between different parties still exist in the society, Mr. Suphachai said, his commission may not be able to proceed with the general election in a peaceful and transparent manner according to the Constitution.

The EC President then demanded the postponement of the election until the situation is secured.

But Mr. Pongthep Thepkanchana, deputy prime minister, stated in a press conference on the same day that the government cannot suspend the election indefinitely, as the constitution rules that the caretaker government must arrange for general election after 60 days of the dissolution of the parliament.

“if [the election] is postponed, the domestic dispute will be strengthen and become more harmful to the country. If the new cabinet takes the office, the situation shall be eased”, said Mr. Pongthep in a statement.

Col. Thanathip also told reporters that Ms. Yingluck is concerned by the safety of the people in the violent Deep South.

“The Royal Thai Army, as a unit who is responsible for the safety and security, had coordinated with the security units in the Deep South”, said Gen.Thnathip, “the police force in the provinces had been working collaboratively with the provincial EC units.”

“We are here to facilitate and arrange units to retain the security in the election centre to create trusts and security for those who wish to vote on the date [2 February]”, added the Royal Thai Army Spokesperson.

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