92% Rise In Chinese Tourists Visiting Thailand: Minister

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14 October 2013, 22:21

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Premier Li Keqiang

(14 October) The Ministry of Tourism and Sports says the number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand has increased by 98% compared with last year.

3.7 million Chinese tourists have already visited the kingdom this year, and the total number would top 5.5 million by the end of the year, said Tourism and Sports Minister, Somsak Pureesrisak.

The Chinese visitors have also generated 150 billion baht for Thailand in the first 9 months.Mr. Somsak said that the Ministry should expand the strategy of Thai-Chinese cooperation even further, citing the economic importance of the Chinese.

In 2009, 0.777 million Chinese tourists visited Thailand. The number then gradually increased by 92.93% to over 2 million in 2012. Quantitatively, number of Chinese tourists compared to other nationals had increased from 5.49% in 2009 to 19.03% in 2013.

In 2009, Chinese tourists generated THB 22 million, and THB 106 billion in 2012. From January to September this year, Chinese tourists alone generated 147 billion, increasing from 4.32% in 2009 to 17.28% in 2013.

Statistics also show that the majority of Chinese tourists are female, and prefer to travel on their own. 62.31% of Chinese tourists said they came to Thailand for the first time, and 87.08% indicated that they travelled to Thailand by plane.

A Chinese tourism movie, ‘Lost in Thailand’, has also contributed to the growing numbers of Chinese visitors, official said.

Despite the slowdown in Group Tours from Chinese Tourism Companies, officials believe that the number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand should grow gradually and reach 5.5 million by the end of this year.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra also hosted the visit of the Premier of the People′s Republic, Mr. Li Keqiang, who toured Thailand on 11-13 October.

The visit concluded in a number of bilateral agreements, particularly on trade and transport. The two nations also vowed to promote strong ties.

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Thailand's Left-Hand Traffic 'Impedes Integration'

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14 October 2013, 22:14

(14 October) A top official has asserted that Thailand′s left-hand traffic is an obstacle for regional integration with some of its neighbours which drive on the right.

Mr. Yukhon Limlaemthoung, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, advised that Thailand must adjust to the future economic integration in timely manner.

At the end of 2015, Thailand, along with its 10 ASEAN neighbours, will become ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). The trade blog is expected to cause several changes to the region, particularly the trade liberalisation.

The Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister said that farmers, investors and the government must react to AEC sharply, and shifted its policy to agricultural-industrial based economy.

Regarding its study about the economy of ASEAN countries, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative suggested that ASEAN governments should lure in more foreign investors to develop their agricultural-based economies.

Thailand, with its competitiveness in industry, can then take advantages from cheap agricultural goods supply from its neighbouring countries, said Mr. Yukhon.

However, the deputy prime minister significantly noted that Thailand is quite ‘uncompetitive’ in becoming regional logistic centre, as the nation drives on left hand traffic.

Thailand is among the few countries driving on the left hand side,while its continental neighbours; Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam, drive on the right hand side of the road.

According to Mr. Yukhon, the circumstance is probed to be an obstacle for regional trade liberalisation, as it costs investors extra logistic expenses for having to change the car engines when crossing the border.

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Warrant Issued Against Hospital ‘Drugging & Robbing’ Gang

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14 October 2013, 21:46

(14 October) Phayathai police have issued arrest warrants against the individuals who drugged and robbed a number of victims in several public hospitals.

Reportedly, the robbers allegedly used a sedative substance called Xylazine to spike the victims? drinks before robbing them. Ramathibodi Hospital was the first to report the incident, and it later emerged that similar cases also happened at the Monks′ Hospital.

According to Pol.Col.Saman Rodkamnerd, Chief of Phayathai Police Station, the robbers wore masks during the time they were committing the crime. After they had gathered some information, the police issued an arrest warrant against the man for his robbery at the Monks′ Hospital.

However, the case at Ramathibodi hospital is still under investigation, as police are checking images of the robber recorded on CCTV cameras.

From the beginning of this year, at least 6 people filed notice to the police concerning the case.While some police officers suggested that it is highly possible that the robbers at the two hospitals collaborated as a gang, the police force stressed they need to further expand the link between the two cases before they can jump to the conclusion.

The case also alerted the abuse of the sedative substance. Dr. Alongkorn Mahannop, advisor to His Majesty’s Royal Chitralada Agricultural Projects, said that the substance is registered as an animal drug, and carries lethal side effects if it is applied to humans.

Statistics from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also showed that the substance is not qualified for use in humans. Nevertheless, no fatal case have been reported so far.

Prapassorn Thanaphonlert, M.D., Deputy Director of FDA, explained that the substance is classified as ‘a intoxicant drug’, and the FDA will seek further adjustment about the drug possession.

The FDA will also be assessing equivalent substances to Xylazine, and will seek for further adjustment needed, in order to curb on the drug abusing.

"The FDA will also examine other registered substances which could be used interchangeably with Xylazine, in order to pre-emptively restrict their sales and to curb incidence of drug abuse. The Administration is leaving room for possible changes in its drug restriction policies", said Ms. Prapassorn.

FDA advised those who believed they had been drugged with Xylazine to take ‘Yohimbine’, a drug that manipulates heart rates and prevents the user from falling asleep. Alternatively, the victim can drink large amounts of water to reduce the concentration of the drug as well.

Mr. Alongkorn also suggested that government authorities should tighten the law to curb drug abuse, as it is very likely that the robber could get the drug via personal ties with pharmacists.

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Top Official Begs PEFOT Splinter Group To Leave

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14 October 2013, 18:26

(14 October) The breakaway anti-government protesters continue to occupy the road near Uruphong Intersection in a bid to oust Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, despite a plea from a top official who asked them to relocate their rally.

The protesters were originally a part of the People′s Force of Democracy to Overthrow Thaksinism (PEFOT) which held a rally against Ms. Yingluck in front of Government House last week.

When PEFOT leadership agreed to move their rally to Lumpini Park as requested by the government in order to vacate the area for the visit of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, a number of dissenting protesters refused to retreat and instead staged a rally of their own at Uruphong Intersection.

Today, Pol.Gen. Pracha Promnok, Deputy Prime Minister, said he is concerned of the safety of the PEFOT splinter group, as they are currently staging a rally in an open space under the tollway, which is vulnerable to attacks from ill-intentioned individuals.

Previously, a molotov cocktail was thrown at the protest camps, presumably from one of the overhanging tollways. The police say the investigation into the attack is ongoing.

"I would like to ask the protesters to move their rally to Lumpini Park, so we can provide better security for them," Pol.Gen. Pracha said, adding that he is fearful of interference by a ?third hand party? which might seek to escalate the situation.

Speaking at Government House, Pol.Gen. Pracha said he had been informed that the protesters have refused to retreat and are waiting for reinforcements from other provinces. "The protesters have the right to do that. We will provide them security as best we could," he told reporters.

However, he insisted that the protesters are causing much inconvenience to the public by blocking the traffic.

The protesters, now banded under the name of Student and People Network For Political Reform of Thailand, are said to be led by a number of student activists from Ramkhamhaeng University.

The number of the protesters varies greatly throughout the day ranging from 300 – 2,000 people. The size of the protest is visibly larger than previous rallies organised by PEFOT in recent months, and has apparently unnerved the authorities.

Claiming that it has learned of the protesters? possible plan to march into Government House or other governmental offices, the police sealed off 14 roads around the governmental districts from all traffics. Additional riot police and barricades were also reinforced around Government House.

A spokesman of the Bangkok Metropolitan Police said in a press conference that it has been reported that the protesters at Uruphong intersection will be joined by the masses mobilised from various provinces, such as Buriram, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Surat Thani.

He asserted that the protesters are plotting to surround Government House and Parliament House in order to disrupt the upcoming sessions on legislatures opposed by the protesters.

Mr. Suphon Attawong, deputy secretary of the Prime Minister, went as far as to claim the ongoing protests are tacitly supported by the Democrat Party, alleging that the protest leaders had personal ties with the opposition party.

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Thailand Sees Boom In Regional Air Travel

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14 October 2013, 18:02

(14 October) Thailand is enjoying a boom in regional aviation industry according to the reports compiled by the national airport authority and Nok Air, a low-cost airliner.

Both the Airports of Thailand (AOT) and Nok Air have announced triple growth in their operation this year.

According to CAPA Centre for Aviation, Southeast Asia presents the highest growth rates in the international aviation industry, particularly in regional low-cost flights. So far, the region has over 5.6 million seats booked weekly in October 2013.

Nok Air boss, Mr. Patee Sarasin, said on Monday that his company is expected to make approximately THB 1,500 million in revenue this year, triple its 2012 revenue of THB 500 million. The company’s annual net profit for this year is also expected to double last year’s profit.

The low-cost airline is experiencing good prospects, as it runs on 87-88% of full capacity and operates 140 flights each day, Mr. Patee added.

The airline also plans to launch its first international route from Bangkok to Yangon in November, after the newly opened market Myanmar gains the biggest growth rate in the region. The route will be supplied with 4 flights a week, with the average ticket price of THB 2,000.

Meanwhile, the Airports of Thailand Public co.Ltd. (AOT), a state enterprise, also announced that they are expecting a profit of THB 17,000 million this year in air travel, nearly triple of its last year profit of THB 6,499 million.

CAPA also revealed that Thailand’s International Aviation Market has grown 21% within the last 18 months, slightly above the regional growth which presents at 20%.

Mr. Pongsak Semsant, AOT Deputy Director, said “AOT plans to develop Suvarnabhumi airport to be in the Top 5 of the global best airports list”. Additionally, the company plans to equip its airports with better facilities, more secure services and good management "within the next five years".

Currently, the national main airport sits comfortable at number 6 of the global list, and has been continuously developed.

The Ministry of Transport also announced last week the plan to transform Don Muang airport into a second fully functional international airport in Bangkok, as the busy flight schedules are increasingly beyond Suvarnabhumi capacity.

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Foreigner Jumps Off His Apartment To Death: Police

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14 October 2013, 17:48

(14 October) A foreign man was found dead at his apartment building in Suan Luang district, Bangkok. The police believe he had committed suicide by jumping off the balcony in his room.

The incident took place in Soi Sukhumvit 77. Mr. Suchart Faesawad, 25, a security guard present at the scene, told the police that he was informed about a man standing at his balcony attempting to commit suicide. However, Mr. Suchart said, once he arrived the man had already jumped off to his death.

Initial investigation reported that the deceased, Mr. Erik Lelli (transcribed from Thai text), 42, was employed as a chef at a restaurant in Sukhumvit area. Initial investigation identified his nationality as Austrian.

Inside his apartment, police found no trace of any intruder, as the room was locked from the inside.

Police said they had contacted the Austrian Embassy regarding Mr. Lelli’s death in order to inform his relatives about the incident and to question them further about Mr. Lelli’s possible motives behind the suspected suicide.

Although the case is suspected as a suicide, the police stress they did not rule out other possibilities. Post-Mortem investigation is scheduled to be conducted at Chulalongkorn Hospital within a few days.

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'Drunk Husband' Slashes Wife With Knife

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14 October 2013, 15:45

(14 October) An intoxicated man has reportedly attacked his wife in with a knife Sa Kaeo province because she was berating him about his wasteful drinking habit.

On the night of 13 October, local rescue workers were informed that a Cambodian woman had been wounded near the intersection of Baan Pa Rai village. The rescue workers and medical staff later found the 50 year old woman, who identified herself as Ms. Nuan Kaew, lying near the intersection on the side of the road.

She was moaning painfully and her body was drenched in blood when the rescue workers found her, our correspondent added.

Ms. Nuan said she was a native of Poipet, Cambodia, and later moved to work in Thailand as an orchard worker with her husband, who is also a Cambodian national.

In recent days, she said, there has been flood in the district so she could not go to work, and her husband used their savings to buy alcoholic beverage to drink with his neighbours. "Now we don?t even have the money to buy rice," Ms. Nuan said.

When Ms. Nuan criticised the man in front of his drinking partners at their house for wasting their money on alcohol, her husband allegedly became enraged and slashed at her head with a knife.

Ms. Nuan′s husband and his friends reportedly fled the scene, leaving the severely injured Ms. Nuan on the ground until she was discovered by her neighbours, who quickly notified the rescue workers.

She is being treated for her injuries at Aranya Pradesh Hospital, where she received 10 stitches. She refused to tell our correspondent the name of her husband, citing fear for her own safety.

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'Ex-Boyfriend' Kills Woman And Her Brother

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13 October 2013, 21:13

(13 October) A woman and her younger brother are believed to have been murdered by her ex-boyfriend in Petchburi province.

Local policemen said they had been alerted about a shooting shortly after midnight on 12 October near a petrol station on the Bangkok-bound side of Petchkasem Road. The police later discovered two dead bodies at the scene and helped one injured man.

The dead individuals have been identified as Ms. Naruemon Hormklin, 19, and Mr. Washarin Panpuak, 16. Ms. Naruemon had been shot in her head, Mr. Washarin in his back, while Mr. Surasak Piembangbon survived the injuries caused by four bullets in his left leg.

Mr. Surasak told police he was driving his motorcycle with his girlfriend, Ms. Naruemon, and her brother, Mr. Washarin, when suddenly a black Toyota pick-up truck approached them. The driver then lowered the window, Mr. Surasak said, and proceeded to fire many shots at the trio.

The motorcycle immediately fell, sending three of them in different direction, according to Mr. Surasak. The driver later parked his car and allegedly proceeded to put more bullets in Ms. Naruemon′s body.

He added that he believed the murderer might be the ex-boyfriend of Ms. Naruemon who broke up with her many years ago. He said he had been dating Ms. Naruemon for a month.

Mr. Surasak also told the police that two weeks prior to the incident, Ms. Naruemon asked him and her brother to pick her up from work as a mysterious man often parked his car near her workplace and called her name in threatening manner.

They were on their way home from Ms. Naruemon′s workplace when the shooting occurred.

Police officers said initial investigation suggested that the incident was a crime of passion, since the murderer did not remove any valuable objects from the victims? bodies. The police believe that Ms. Naruemon′s ex-boyfriend might be enraged to find that she was now dating a new boyfriend, and proceeded to commit the murder.

However, the policemen stressed that investigation is ongoing.

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Police Bust Lithuanian 'ATM-Scamming' Gang

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13 October 2013, 20:56

(13 October) Four Lithuanian nationals have been arrested in Pattaya on suspicion of stealing 5 million baht from ATMs with fake ATM cards.

The police gave the names of the suspects, transcribed from Thai text, as Mr. Raimontus Wisulis, 19; Mr. Kintaras Kaposus, 21; Mr. Paulus Rascaucas, 19; and Mr. Jilius Petraska, 19.

Officers also confiscated an ATM passcode reader machine along with 450 counterfeit ATM and credit cards.

Pol.Col. Suwan Chiaonawintawat said the police had received a complaint from Siam Commercial Bank that it has lost large amounts of money to individuals extracting the cash out of ATMs in Pattaya in recent days, so the police deployed detectives and informants around many potential crime scenes.

By the afternoon of 12 October, Pol.Col. Suwan said, the police were informed that the four Lithuanians could be seen acting suspiciously around a cash machine in front of the Good Inn Hotel.

The four were later arrested and confessed that they had been withdrawing large sums of money from ATMs with their fake cards, claiming that a German national had provided them with the necessary equipment in exchange for 5% cuts from the amount of money they had earned.

The suspects said they usually fled to Bangkok and laid low for a while before returning to Pattaya in order to commit the crimes again. They had reportedly earned 5 million baht with their scheme.

Police say they are searching for other suspects in connection with the four individuals.

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Chiang Rai Rescue Volunteer Claims 'Ghost Photo'

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13 October 2013, 19:54

(13 October) A rescue worker in Chiang Rai province has claimed that a ghost can be seen in the photo he took of a car accident which killed a woman.

The photo received a great deal of attention from netizens after it was posted on the social network. It purports to show a faint reflection of a woman in white on a car near where the dead body was being retrieved.

Speaking to Khaosod, Mr. Seksit Dechkit, 28, a member of Sirikorn Rescue Foundation in Chiang Rai, said he took the photo on 10 October when his team was alerted to a car accident on the early morning of 10 October in Mueang district.

At the scene, the rescue workers found the body of Ms. Chirapon Tapa, 26, stuck in the wreckage of her car which had crashed into an electrical pole. Mr. Seksit said he took 8-10 photos of the scene as part of his rescue work routines, and posted some of them on his Facebook account. He said he soon forgot about the photos.

However, he said, the photo has been widely shared and claimed that a spirit could be seen, even though he had not altered the picture in any way.

"When I checked the photo and took a close look at it, my friends and I just had goosebumps," Mr. Seksit said, claiming that there was no woman around the accident site, let alone a woman in white.

It is not immediately clear whether the picture is a ground-breaking evidence of ghosts, a photoshop gaffe, or a simple case of pareidolia.

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