Surat Police Officer Clarifies 'Tourist-Beating' Video

By

-

12 October 2013, 21:30

(13 October) As netizens criticised the behaviour of a group of Thai nationals seen beating a foreign couple in a video, a senior police commander of Surat Thani province insisted there is more, or less, to the story.

The said video, posted on Youtube on 11 October, showed a couple, believed to be foreign tourists, being shouted and beaten by group of Thais in front of Surat Thani′s K Park Grand Hotel.

Several foreigners could be seen watching the incident nearby, while some tried to break up the fight, to no avail.

It was claimed that the tourist couple refused to pay the fare for a local taxi as the price was overcharged, which enraged the Thais and led to the fistfights. Many comments in the website, and other social network sites, berate the Thai nationals for their aggressive behaviours against the tourists.

However, Pol.Col. Suwat Suksri, the commander of Mueang Surat Thani Police station, told Khaosod that the context of the incident is different to what the netizens understand.

According to Pol.Col. Suwat, the fight took place on the afternoon of 7 April this year. The police responded to the incident and apprehended six suspects, three Thais and three Bahraini tourists.

The police reportedly fined each of them 200 baht for engaging in fights, while the tourists were fined additional 5,000 baht for properties damages.

The Bahraini couple, Pol.Col. Suwat were travelling with a mutual friend in Surat Thani for their Honeymoon. While the trio was waiting for a bus in front of the bus company office at the scene, the Bahraini woman reportedly talked to a Thai man, and her newly married husband became angry and started trashing the bus company office.

Fistfights soon followed, the police officer said, and only ended when the police arrived, arresting everyone involved.

"I can?t see the intention behind uploading the clip, because the incident happened long ago," Pol.Col. Suwat added.

For comments, or corrections to this article please contact: [email protected]

You can also find Khaosod English on Twitter and Facebook
http://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish
http://www.facebook.com/KhaosodEnglish

'Online Astrologer' Accused Of Rape

By

Khaosod English

-

12 October 2013, 20:39

(12 October) The police have arrested a self-styled astrologer who allegedly lured his victim to a private ceremony at a motel room in suburban Bangkok and raped her there.

Speaking at a press conference, Pol.Col. Chotiwat Luengwilai said the police received a complaint from a 20 year old woman that she met with Mr. Pakin Thanawaswong, 32, who claimed to be an online astrologer, for a fortune reading at a shopping mall in Pin Klao district.

According to the victim, Mr. Pakin charged her 2,000 baht for the fee and told her that her reading portended a great calamity which could only be exorcised in a private ceremony at a secluded location. Mr. Pakin then allegedly suggested they meet in a motel room nearby.

When the victim arrived, Pol.Col. Chotiwat said, Mr. Pakin lit the incenses, prayed, and convinced the woman to strip naked so he could put magical wax on her. Once the victim complied, the suspect allegedly raped her and stole cash of 2,000 baht from the victim before he fled the scene.

The police eventually arrested Mr. Pakin on 10 October after the victim collaborated with the police and told him to meet her for another fortune reading at the shopping mall. He admitted to the police he had committed the crime in this manner for five times, changing his names after each crime.

Police investigation into his bank account reveals that he charges his victims 500-2,000 baht for the fortune reading.

Pol.Col. Chotiwat said the citizens should be cautious when communicating with strangers on the internet, as they might have ill intention and lure the unsuspecting victims into crimes. He also urged other victims of Mr. Pakin to contact the police and press charges against the man.
For comments, or corrections to this article please contact: [email protected]

You can also find Khaosod English on Twitter and Facebook
http://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish
http://www.facebook.com/KhaosodEnglish

Beer Tycoon To Build 'Bangkok Snow Town'

By

Khaosod English

-

12 October 2013, 15:03

(12 October) Thais might witness the first snowfall in the capital city as the billionaire Charoen Siriwattanapakdee, the owner of Chang Beer, announced a plan to build an artificial snow town in his mega project ‘Asiatique’.

Following the massive success of Asiatique Choreon Krung, TCC property – a property development company among the many subsidiaries of Mr. Charoen’s empire – plans to develop three other Asiatique projects in the nations? prime locations including Bangok, Hua Hin and Chiang Mai.

The plan is expected to raise at least THB 6 – 7 billion in investment.

According to Ms. Wanlapa Traisorus, Managing Director of TCC property, the project in Bangkok, Asiatique Charoen Nakhon, will be the first to kick off by 2014.

Situated across of the river of the current Charoen Krung’s Asiatique, the Charoen Nakhon project, according to Ms. Wanlapa, will require THB 3 – 4 billion investment for the 3-4 storeys building, concluding many commercial spaces and the planned ‘Snow Town’.

Ms. Wanlapa added that the company is negotiating with Japanese investors to build the indoor snow-area laid on a 5,000 square metre land. The icy project is estimated to cost THB 1 billion, and slated to be the largest artificial snow venue ever built in ASEAN, Ms. Wanlapa claimed.

In terms of its transport accessibility, Asiatique Charoen Nakhon will linkCharoen Nakhon road to the western side on Bangkok. The company also plans to invest another large sum of money for the sky cable car across Chaopraya River in order to connect the two Asiatique together.

The cable car is said to be built in the same pattern as the Emirates Air Line, a cable car system overcrossing Thames River from Greenwich and the Royal Victoria Docks in London.

The so-call ?air-line? is expected to be 700 – 800 metres long, 34 metres in height and, the company says, is environmental friendly, as it will not lay foundations into the river. According to Ms. Wanlapa, the team is studying the possibility of the idea.

“We would like to develop Asiatique on both river sides, as a prestigious riverside shopping venue in Asia,” Said Ms. Wanlapa, “the company will hold events promoting the project throughout the rest of the year.”

The managing director only gave minimal details about the projects in Hua Hin and Chiang Mai. According to Ms. Wanlapa, the THB 1 billion Hua Hin project will be built in a ?retro-theme?, bringing back the historical atmosphere of an old seaside market during the reign of King Rama V.

The Chiang Mai Asiatique will be slightly different, she said, as it is influenced by the Lanna history, and is speculated to have THB 2 billion investment starting in 2017. The project aims to feature local boutiques and is targeted to attract both foreign and Thai tourists.

For comments, or corrections to this article please contact: [email protected]

You can also find Khaosod English on Twitter and Facebook
http://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish
http://www.facebook.com/KhaosodEnglish

Monk Blames His DUI Charge On Pickle Juice

By

Khaosod English

-

12 October 2013, 14:51

(12 October) The prelate of a local Buddhist chapter has been arrested in Udon Thani province for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Pra Ajarn Dech, the prelate of Ban Ya sub-district who also served as the abbot of Wan Don Han Temple, was arrested after he was seen "wobbling around with his car", according to a police officer.

The police then asked the monk to take breathalyser test, which reportedly showed the monk had violated the legal alcohol limit, having 75 mg/dl alcohol concentration in his blood.

Pra Ajarn Dech was later defrocked at Matchimawas temple. He later re-assumed his secular name, Mr. Dech Donkhaoram, and left the monkhood after 9 years.

According to Mr. Dech, in the morning of the day of an incident, he was invited by a family in Kudjab district. However, his driver was not present at the temple so he decided to drive the car to the venue himself. The host, Mr. Dech claimed, served him with pickle fruit, stating that it should help cure his muscle pains.

The monk later admitted that he was enjoying the drinks too much, and had been drunk while he was trying to drive back to the temple.

For comments, or corrections to this article please contact: [email protected]

You can also find Khaosod English on Twitter and Facebook
http://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish
http://www.facebook.com/KhaosodEnglish

Flood Reaches Bangkok's Popular Island

By

Khaosod English

-

12 October 2013, 14:31

(12 October) Provincial authority in Nonthaburi has declared state of emergency in Koh Kret, the popular tourist destination on the outskirt of Bangkok, as the flood hits the river island.

According to Mr. Wisit Phuangpetch, the district chief of Pak Kret, at least 10,000 families have been affected by the flood in the province, particularly Koh Kret, which lies in the middle of Chao Praya River.

The entire island is said to be flooded after the water level in Chao Praya has been rising in recent days.

Official report also inferred that at least 27 sub-districts are at risk of the flood, particularly riverside areas.

For instance, it has been reported that in Tha-it sub-district on Koh Kret Island, 700 families are currently facing 40 cm high flooding in their homes.

The authorities are also working to prevent floods in Bang-Buathong district, one of the main financial districts of the province. The area′s economic functions had completely ceased to operate during the Great Flood of

Meanwhile, in Bangkok, Department of Drainage and Sewerage is closely monitoring Naree tropical storm. The department director, Mr. Adisak Khantee, said that there is possible risk from rising water level in Chaopraya River from tidal bore during 15 – 17 October.

The provincial authority has discharged some water into San Saeb and Pravetbureerom canals.

For comments, or corrections to this article please contact: [email protected]

You can also find Khaosod English on Twitter and Facebook
http://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish
http://www.facebook.com/KhaosodEnglish

PEFOT Bomb Attack 'Designed To Kill', Witness Claims

By

Khaosod English

-

11 October 2013, 20:06

(11 October) Thai police have promised a timely investigation into the explosive attack on the anti-government protest in central Bangkok last night, in which a protester had been injured and several cars damaged.

The protesters broke off from a larger rally organised by People′s Force of Democracy to Overthrow Thaksinism (PEFOT) at Government House, after its leaders decided to end the protests temporarily yesterday in order to clear the governmental area for the visit of Chinese premier Li Keqiang.

Refusing to halt their protests against the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the dissenting protesters decided to stage a rally of their own on the road near Uruphong intersection, vowing to carry the fight until Ms. Yingluck resigns.

The protesters were later shaken out of their sleep in the dead of the night when a loud explosion occurred. Several cars were damaged by the explosion and Mr. Pattrawut Chirawibulwan, a volunteer guard of the protesters, was injured. Scores of leaflets were also thrown onto the protest site, which rudely advise the protesters to leave the intersection because they were causing traffic jam.

Investigating the scene shortly afterwards, the police ruled the bomb to be a homemade explosive device composed of energy drink bottle filled with incendiary substances and metals. The officers assume that the bomb was thrown down from one of the tollway roads above Uruphong intersection.

Mr. Pattrawut, the injured man, said he was asleep in his tent when the bomb exploded, and he was wounded by shards of glasses in his left foot. He said he had not seen the attackers as he was sleeping when the incident occurred.

Another guard, Mr. Suttinan Prayong, told the police he was about to sleep when he heard three explosions and leaflets being thrown from the overflying tollway. He was certain the explosive was thrown from the same position on the tollway.

"I don?t know who did it," Mr. Suttinan said, "But it was surely designed to kill, because of all the burning and the shrapnel"

Speaking after a meeting with top police officers at Bangkok Metropolitan Police headquarters, Pol.Maj.Gen. Kamronwit Thoopkrachang said the police force had set up security checkpoints in the roads leading to the protest site but not on the tollways. He told the press he would station additional officers in the area.

Pol.Maj.Gen. Kamronwit said the protesters have the rights to assembly "but they should stay within the legal boundary and refrain from causing troubles to other people" such as blocking the traffic. He insisted that the police are working hard to identify the suspects and solve the case.

He added that the police have attempted to persuade the protesters to move to an empty plot near Rama VI Road which is "safer" and away from traffic, but the protesters have refused to negotiate.

Nevertheless, Pol.Maj.Gen. Kamronwit urged the protesters to inform the police if they encounter any suspicious object around the protest site. "We have EOD units that are on stand by and ready to investigate the area at any time," he said.

For comments, or corrections to this article please contact: [email protected]

You can also find Khaosod English on Twitter and Facebook
http://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish
http://www.facebook.com/KhaosodEnglish

Woman Arrested For 'Counterfeit' Winning Lottery

By

Khaosod English

-

11 October 2013, 18:49

(11 October) Nonthaburi police arrested Kalasint woman for allegedly counterfeiting lottery tickets and claiming the prize.

Ms. Tawee Sawanate, 62, from Yang Talad district, Kalasin province, traveled to the Government Lottery Office to claim the first prize worth THB 2 million with her lottery ticket.

She was promptly arrested when the Office realised that the ticket was fake.

An official from the Lottery office said that the ticket had been altered from 249545 to 647882.

Ms. Tawee denied she had modified the tickets, claiming that she bought the tickets from a lottery vendor at a bus terminal located in Kalasin province for THB 110 per ticket.

The tickets were left in her pocket until she checked the lottery draw results on 7 October. Once she found out she won the first prize, Ms. Tawee said, she phoned her relatives and traveled with 5 of them to Nonthaburi to claim the prize.

However, police officers questioned her testimony and pressed charge against Ms. Tawee, who makes a living by selling chilli, accusing her of counterfeit.

The penalty for the charge carries 6 months to 5 years in prison and THB 1,000 to 10,000 fines.

For comments, or corrections to this article please contact: [email protected]

You can also find Khaosod English on Twitter and Facebook
http://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish
http://www.facebook.com/KhaosodEnglish

Hospital Warns Of 'Drugging & Robbing' Gang

By

Khaosod English

-

11 October 2013, 18:18

(11 October) Director of Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok has warned of criminals drugging victims with high doses of anaesthetic and robbing them inside the hospital.

The director, Surasak Leela-Udomlipi, M.D., identified the drug as a substance called ‘Xylazine’, which is colourless and odourless.

In the letter circulated to different departments of the hospital, which is situated in central Bangkok, Mr. Surasak instructed the staff to be vigilant of criminals mixing the substance with water and tricking unsuspecting victims whom they had befriended to drink it.

After the victims lose consciousness, the robbers would reportedly remove valuable belongings and slip away.

In the letter, Mr. Surasak expressed his "sincere concern", and urged a timely response to the incidents. Every worker was told to tighten the hospital’s safety policy, inform their patients of the dangers, and closely monitor the situation.

Relatives of the residing patients are also warned about the incident, and warning signs were posted at various spots inside the hospital.

The hospital director said he had contacted the Food and Drug Administration and required details about the substance. The two institutions plan to collaborate in making long-term procedures to prevent further abuse in the future.

According to an initial report from Phayathai police, the suspect may have been a well-dressed man who works closely with his gang to identify and rob the victims.

However, further information is yet to be revealed as the police are scheduled to talk to a victim of the crimes on 16 October.

For comments, or corrections to this article please contact: [email protected]

You can also find Khaosod English on Twitter and Facebook
http://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish
http://www.facebook.com/KhaosodEnglish

Finally, Mandatory Seatbelts For Inter-provincial Buses

By

Khaosod English

-

11 October 2013, 15:30

(11 October) The transport authority in Thailand has announced a new safety measure by requiring all inter-provincial buses to install seatbelts and present safety videos to their passengers on the buses.

The announcement by the Transport Company Limited, a state enterprise operating under Ministry of Transport, is a response to the major road accident in Saraburi province in which 19 people were killed and 30 injured.

From 15 October onwards, every bus operated by Transport Co.Ltd. must install safety belts and provide a short video clip informing the passengers about safety procedures in the same manner of commercial airliners, according to the new regulation.

The clip will also inform the passengers about possible dangers that may occurred if they do not fasten their seatbelts.

The move has been seen by much of the Thai public as a long-overdue measure which would have saved lives in the frequent traffic accidents on Thai roads. Many public vehicles, such as the minivans and taxis, do not have seatbelts for their passengers.

Mr. Pong Cheewanant, Deputy Transport Minister, said that the Transport Company’s safety measure is a strategic policy which he encourage every transport company to follow.

“To save more lives from road accidents, we would also need qualified drivers to perform their tasks properly” added Mr. Pong.

The Ministry of Transport had also previously announced plans to attach CCTV cameras to monitor the driver behaviours, and the circumstances inside and outside the bus.

It is expected that the camera should allow the authority to speculate the risk of accidents caused by the bus drivers.

The Transport Co.Ltd. said that they are assessing costs and effectiveness of the CCTV camera, and hopeful to apply the equipment to their bus shortly in the future, as the technological items are becoming increasingly cheaper.

“The goal is to strengthen passenger’s safety when they travel on Transport Co.Ltd. buses” said Mr. Pong, “At the beginning phase, Transport Co.Ltd. will be the leader, and I expect other [private] companies to join the program later.”

He added, “I am confident that once all 8,000 buses run by Transport Co.Ltd. apply the policy, the passengers should feel safer. This should encourage other transport companies to follow the same safety procedures in the future”,

Meanwhile, Mr. Chatchart Sittipan, Minister of Transport, took to his Facebook account to air a complaint that he encountered an inter-provincial bus that did not comply with the regulations while he made a trip to Nakhon Ratchasima province.

According to the Minister, who was attending a government-exhibition in the Northeatern province, the bus that he took from Mo Chit terminal to Nakhon Ratchasima was not equipped with the safety procedures video.

Mr. Chatchart also claimed that he did not witness the Air-Conditioned bus driver fasten his seatbelt as the bus departed the terminal.

For comments, or corrections to this article please contact: [email protected]

You can also find Khaosod English on Twitter and Facebook
http://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish
http://www.facebook.com/KhaosodEnglish

Superstar Ends 11.5 Million Baht Feud With Her Ex-Manager

By

Khaosod English

-

11 October 2013, 00:45

(10 October) Pee Mak star settled negotiation with her former manager, ending the lawsuit in which the latter party sued her for breach of contract and demanded compensations of THB 11.5 million.

The well-known actress, Ms. Davika ‘Mai’ Horne, told our correspondent at the Ratchada Court hearing on 9 October that the negotiation is well settled and admitted that ‘it is my own fault’.

According to Ms. Davika, who became famous largely due to her role in the ghost-comedy hit Pee Mak, she had personally apologised to her counter party, Mr. Supphachai ‘A’ Srivijit, who sued her for THB 11.5 million compensations, alleging that the actress had violated the terms in their contracts.

The Pee Mak star said that in a personal phone call, Mr. Supphachai greeted her well, and promised to meet up and hang out together. Ms. Davika added that she felt much better with the issue, after the two had successfully negotiated over it.

Mr. Vikrom ‘Klao’ Photrakul, Ms. Davika’s current manager, also attended the court hearing along with their lawyer, Mr. Kittipong Thitithanwarat.

Mr.Vikrom told our correspondent that the negotiation is agreed by both parties, and he did not wish to comment any further about the issue.

Ms. Kosum Prasopsaowalak, Mr. Suphachai’s lawyer who was present at the court as his representative, commented that since the contract between Ms. Davika and Mr. Suphachai has been annulled, she hopes that everything could end and no further speculations about the case should be made.

For comments, or corrections to this article please contact: [email protected]

You can also find Khaosod English on Twitter and Facebook
http://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish
http://www.facebook.com/KhaosodEnglish

Hot News

LATEST NEWS