In all, the police arrested 8 male and
7 female suspects at the motel in Bangkok′s Bang Phlat District. One of the suspects, Mr. Wirach
Wattanapinyo, is a well-known ?Sian Phra? (Amulet Master), whose career is based on
collecting and selling rare Buddhist amulets, often at high price.

The police said 3 of the
female suspects worked as coyote girls, the sexily clad dancers who graced many entertainment venues.

The police
confiscated a large number of narcotics, mostly ketamine and ectasy, found in the room along with 4
handguns and box of condoms.

Pol.Col. Mathee Rakpan said the raid followed reports from a
local informant about a party involving illegal substance in the motel room. He said 7 of the
suspects were tested positive for narcotics, and the police would process other suspects in a more
elaborate tests.

The officer added that the guns were legally registered firearms, but none
of the suspects has the permit to carry the weapons.

Mr. Wirach, who operated the
amulet-trading website called Watchara Amulet, told police he bought the drugs for using with his
friends. He said he had organised such parties for more than 10 times so far.

The police
charged Mr. Wirach and other suspects with drug abuse.

Buddhist amulets (Phra Kreung)
are tiny tablets imprinted with images of Buddha and other religious figures. The ones manufactured
by revered monks or discovered in ancient temple grounds are highly sought after by amulet
collectors. It is not hard to find vendors selling these amulets on streets of Bangkok and other
major cities.

The pipeline from which about 50,000 litres of oil
leaked is operated by PTT Global Chemical Plc. The leakage took place few days ago off the coast in
Rayong province, and the company failed to contain its area of damage until it reached Koh
Samed.

Now, the sea and beaches in Samed′s Phrao Bay and Ban Pae Bay are covered in black,
inky stain with foul smell along their approximately 600 metre-long shoreline.

Anti-government protesters had called for rally around the House of Parliament on
7 August in central Bangkok to voice their opposition to the draft amnesty bill which would be
debated in the Parliament on that day.

The draft, proposed by Mr. Worachai Hema, an MP of the
ruling Pheu Thai Party, would give amnesty to all protesters who were detained by the authorities
following the 2010 mass protests in Bangkok. The amnesty will not extend to the government leader at
the time – former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The issue about legal prosecution of the
military forces involved in the crackdown, which left more than 90 people dead, is more dubious. The
draft did not mention the military, but Mr. Worachai insisted to the press that the military can be
brought to trial later after the bill is passed.

Nevertheless, the draft is enough to incense
anti-government faction, like the opposition Democrat Party and the Yellowshirts, which saw the bill
as an attempt to whitewash the Redshirts protesters? alleged crimes during the 2010
protests.

The last major anti-government protest, led by a retired army general, took place
in November 2012. That protest, initially declared to be decisive war that would bring down the
government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, flopped badly and dispersed itself in a single
day.

Top officials expressed confidence that the upcoming protest is no more threatening than
the last. Ms. Yingluck, speaking before her trip to the African nation of Mozambique, said she
expected the protest would take place without violent incidents.

Moreover, the movement still lacks concrete support from financial and political
backers, Lt.Gen. Paradorn said, adding that he did not believe any emergency powers would be needed
for the authorities in order to handle the protest.

Mr. Charupong Ruengsuwan, Minister of
Interior Affairs, said he had instructed Provincial Governors to
each understanding with local
residents who wished to participate in the upcoming Bangkok protests that they cannot close down
roads or disrupt the public during their rally.

Asked if he plans to obstruct the protesters
from entering Bangkok, Mr. Charupong replied that it′s impossible to do such thing. 

Mr. Chullanop Nuchanart, director of Bangkok′s Phra Nakorn
Area, in which Khaosarn Road is situated, said he had received many complaints from residents in the
popular backpackers? destination concerning the vendors who put their stalls on the road, which in
theory should be reserved for motor traffic.

With these vendors selling goods and street food
on the road, Khaosarn is turned into an an unauthorised ?walking street?, Mr. Chullanop said.

Cars can?t travel in the Road during the day, and the place is overwhelmed with people at
night, he said, adding that the situation had caused much trouble to residents and shop-owners
along the Road.

Nevertheless, even some shop-owners started placing stalls on the motor way,
too, Mr. Chullanop said.

He clarified that street vendors are not allowed on the road way
from 06.00 to 22.00 but they are permitted to hawk their goods on the pavements.

The
official said he had delivered the warning to many vendors in the area that the authorities would
launch crackdown on those who continue violate the laws, with fine set at 2,000 baht per offence.
After the warning was issued, the situation improved somewhat, he added.

Police were first alerted of
the murder that took place in Samed District (not to be confused with Samed Island of Rayong
province). At the scene, the police found the body of Mr. Taitoon Sunthornwongsa, 34, with gunshot
wounds on his neck and his back.

Early investigation revealed that Mr. Taitoon, an official
working for Chonburi municipality, was standing outside his pickup truck, which he had just parked
in front of his office. A minute later, a car then parked behind Mr. Taitoon′s car. Its driver got
off and shot Mr. Taitoon at close range.

Once Mr. Taitoon fell down, the suspect shot him
again for 3 more times, before fleeing the scene.

Few hours later, Mr. Nattapol Yimpakdee,
50, arrived at the police station in Samed District and identified himself as the shooter of Mr.
Taitoon. He also brought the handgun he said he used in the crime.

Mr. Nattapol told police
he and Mr. Taitoon had been in rouble for some time already, as Mr. Taitoon was having affairs
with Mr. Nattapol′s wife. The suspect said he had chided Mr. Taitoon for his action, but the victim
reportedly challenged him by threatening Mr. Nattapol with the gun he carried.

The suspect
said he felt greatly disrespected by the gesture, so he pre-emptively shot Mr. Taitoon dead
today.

I have told him, if you are a true man and truly loves my wife, just tell me and I
will give her up for you, but he insulted my honour, Mr. Nattapol told police
investigators.

The girl told police the
monk lured her to visit him at his temple in April this year by promising her free food, an offer
she said she accepted because her family was in poverty. The monk reportedly raped her there before
paying her 80 baht and threatening her not to tell anyone.

In spite of what happened, she
said, she continued to visit the monk for food, due to her family′s financial situation. But
she said she had taken care not to be with the monk alone during those visits.

On 28 May,
however, when Phra Mahasanan reportedly called the girl to visit him for free food again, the girl
came to see the monk with her 2 friends. The monk then asked the girl to buy him some alcohol so she
went out buying the alcohol, leaving her friends with the suspect, according to the
victim.

When she came back,she said, she saw the suspect touching her friends, so she ran
inside, dropped the items on the floor and headed for the exit. Unfortunately the monk allegedly
grabbed her and raped her again while her friends managed to escape.

The girl told
investigators she was worried that she might be pregnant, so she consulted her friends about buying
contraception pills. The words of the incident finally reached her mother, who contacted 
Pavena Foundation, a charity group for women and children in distress, for help.

Ms. Pavena
Hongsakul, Social development and Human Security Minister and the director of Pavena Foundation,
reported the incident to the police, and they later arrested Pra Mahasanan at Wat Tung Ruang Tong
temple in Chun district, Phayao province, where he was hiding.

Pol.Gen. Pongsapat
Pongcharoen, director of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), also told the press that
no trace of any illegal drug was found in young actress′s body according to the lab result. He said
his agency is no longer treating the 16-year-old starlet as a potential drug abuser.

With
legal requirement lifted, Khaosod can now report that the young actress in question is Ms.
Sutatta Udomsilpa, better known to her fans as Pan Pan. Khaosod was previously barred from
identifying her by real name due to the publishing regulation which prohibits identifying underage
criminal offender.

Pan Pan is currently best known for her role in Hormones, the
series about group of teenage students coping with various adolescent issues, including the more
controversial actions like having sex and smoking in school.

Such frank portrayal instantly
distinguished Hormones, which is aired weekly on a cable channel, from the largely
conservative mainstream media in Thailand. Perhaps not surprisingly, move does not come without
controversy. A member of the media regulatory board expressed his wish to censor the show on the
ground of inappropriate content.

For now, though, Pan Pan is battling a different kind of
controversy – out of the silver screen. She has not spoken to the media ever since a photo
purportedly showing her taking meth makes an O-shaped mouth to the camera surfaced on the internet,
and her father confirmed the photo′s authenticity in a press conference.

She did not speak
to the press throughout another press conference convened by Labour Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung
neither. In that press event, she appeared with her father, Mr. Surasakdi Udomsilpa, flanked by Mr.
Chalerm and Pol.Gen. Pongsapat.

Mr. Chalerm told the press that ONCB has invited Pan Pan for
medical check-up at Rama IX Hospital to test for drug, and the lab result showed no residue of
methamphetamine in her body system.

We can now conclude that Nong Pan Pan was never
involved in narcotics, Mr. Chalerm said, adding that the controversial photo might have been
doctored. 

As for her father admitting that his daughter did take drug, Mr. Chalerm
hypothesised that Mr. Surasakdi was shocked and confused by the photo, so there might have been some
miscommunication.

Mr. Chalerm did not allow the reporters to ask any question, nor let them
talk to Pan Pan and her father during the press conference. The young actress herself cried silently
with her head bowed down throughout the event. Mr. Surasakdi escorted her out as soon as the press
conference was finished.

Before getting in his car, however, Mr. Surasakdi said to trailing
reporters that he insisted on what he initially told the press. He repeated apology to the public on
behalf of his family.

I have always taught my daughter: we can lie to everyone, but we
cannot lie to ourselves, Mr. Surasakdi said emphatically.

The internet is still buzzing with discussion
about the strange turn of event, especially on the unexpected appearance of Mr. Chalerm who – as the
Labour Minister – has no visible connection to the scandal. Many questioned why he suddenly brought
Pan Pan and her father to the press conference and gave an account that completely contradicts with
Mr. Surasakdi.

Mr. Chalerm has been known as loud and incoherent, and he sometimes speaks to
the press in a manner that, for some, resembles an intoxicated individual. His poor handling with
sensitive issues, like the Southern Insurgency, is rumoured to have convinced Prime Minister
Yingluck Shinawatra to demote him from Deputy Prime Minister to the relatively low profile post at
Ministry of Labour.

Receiving report about a shooting at Nun-Ngone restaurant in Mueang District, the police
arrived at the scene to find the dead body of Ms. Thidarat Kosuto, 25, a waitress at Nun-Ngoen
Restaurant.

Gathered at the scene were her sisters and co-workers, who also lived in the
residence close to the restaurant. The told the police that  Mr. Somboon Boonnum, former
boyfriend of the victim, had murdered her.

Ms. Thidarat’s sister told police that her sister
and Mr. Somboon recently broke-up and Mr. Somboon tried to get back together, but Ms. Thidarat had
always insisted on the breakup.

On the night the incident took place, Mr. Somboon came to
talk to Ms. Thidarat as usual, and no one took much notice, according to witnesses. They all went to
work, and left Ms. Thidarat talking to Mr. Somboon outside the residence.

Moments later, they
heard a gunshot, they said, before they saw Mr. Somboon fleeing the scene on his
motorcycle.

The staff later called the ambulance to rescue the woman, but it arrived too
late. Ms. Thidarat passed away with the big wound on her chest, caused by a shotgun.