Man Thinks He Is Superhero, Hijacks Bus To Save 'Aliens'

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1 July 2013, 12:19

(29 June) A bus
hijacking incident in central Bangkok led to massive police pursuit and caused considerable damages
to both citizens? vehicles and tollway checkpoints.

Around 21.00 Ayutthaya police received report from Bangkok police units
that a suspect has commandeered 34 Bus from Victory Monument, a busy district in the capital city,
and was headed for Wang Noi district in Ayutthaya province, smashing the vehicle into many cars and
expressway checkpoints.

After giving chase to the bus, the police eventually managed to stop
the hijacked vehicle after the suspect rammed into a parked 18 wheeler in Sanub Tuek district. The
suspect was described to be in insane condition, shouting incoherently, when the police
apprehended him. He was later identified as Mr. Pumarin Paensomboon, 31, a resident of Supanburi
province.

Mr. Pumarin told police he hijacked the bus because he is a superhero from another
planet and he needed the bus in order to rescue certain extraterrestrial beings, saving the entire
world in the process. The man remained in custody.

Mr. Prasit Suk-in, 55, the driver of the
commandeered bus, said when he and the bus conductor were parking the bus at Victory Monument, Mr.
Pumarin entered the vehicle and shouted everyone to leave the bus. When Mr. Prasit attempted to
apprehend Mr. Pumarin, he said, the suspect fired a slingshot at him.

According to Mr.
Prasit, Mr. Pumarin also produced what seemed to be a weapon from his bag, so he and others
evacuated the bus while Mr. Pumarin drove it away, ramming it into anything in his way.

Despite the destruction Mr. Pumarin left in his wake, no injury nor death was reported to
the police. Representative of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority said it will pay compensation to
civilian cars which were damaged by the incident.

French Man 'Scammed' Of 276,000 Baht By Thai Bride

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Khaosod English

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1 July 2013, 11:54

(1
July) A French architect told police he had been duped by a Thai woman who promised to marry him and
cheated him of 276,000 baht worth of dowry only to turn him away after the wedding
ceremony.

Mr. Michel Sebald, 60, visited the police in Udon Thani with his interpreter to
file charge against Ms. Pitchayanun Hirunthongwichean, a Thai woman whom he said he met in an online
dating site.

The Frenchman told police via his interpreter that he worked as an architect in
France, earning around 400,000 baht per month. Divorced some time ago, he reportedly browsed through
an online dating site in December 2012 and met Ms. Pitchayanun.

According to Mr. Michel, Ms.
Pitchayanun told him she works as assistant to court attorney and prefers foreign men, especially
French men, to Thai men. He said he fell in love with Ms. Pitchayanun because of her politeness,
manner, and beauty. He eventually asked her to marry after 4 months of correspondence.

Once
she agreed, Mr. Michel said, he wired her 20,000 baht to buy plane ticket to France, but Ms.
Pitchayanun told him he had to attend traditional wedding ceremony in Thailand. On 5 March this
year, he arrived at Nong Gung Tub Ma village in Udon Thani – reportedly where Ms. Pitchayanun lived
– and entered the wedding ceremony attended by hundreds of guests, Mr. Michel said.

He told
police he spent 276,000 baht in dowry gifts for the woman, including engagement ring, gold, iPad,
and iPhone. He said he also bought a brand-name bag worth of 50,000 baht as a surprise gift to Ms.
Pitchayanun. After the ceremony, Mr. Michel said, he and Ms. Pitchayanun spent 2 nights at a hotel
in the province′s town center.

However, according to the Frenchman, Ms. Pitchayanun refused
to engage in sexual intercourse with him during those nights, claiming that she did not feel
ready. Mr. Michel said he was not angry about it but had to leave Thailand soon afterwards because
of his Visa restriction.

Situations quickly deteriorated for Mr. Michel. He said he could
not contact Ms. Pitchayanun after his return to France, and on 29 June he arrived in Udon Thani
again to visit her at her residence only to be turned away by her relatives, so he decided to press
charge.

Mr. Michel told our correspondent he sought help from police because he did not want
other foreign men to be duped like him. As for the money, he said if it has been recovered he would
spend it on charity.

Recently, Udon Thani also received report concerning another alleged
online dating scam. Ms. Ratri Bhodiraj, 39, visited the police on 20 June and told them she was
scammed by an American individual she met in online dating site.

According to Ms. Ratri, an
American with the name Mr. Jason Smith who lives in California told her he wanted to marry her but
she had to wire him 90,200 baht for procedure fee, which she did. The wedding never took place, Ms.
Ratri said.

US Embassy Spokesman Dispels Claim Of Thai Rice Quarantine

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Khaosod English

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29 June 2013, 17:43

Facebook post of Mr. Noch Hautavanija claiming that US food agency is quaranting all shipments of Thai rice.

(29 June) Spokesman of
the US Embassy in Bangkok insisted that the US food agency is not placing a quarantine alert on rice
imports from Thailand as claimed by anti-government critics.

Certain media agencies have reported,without
citing verifiable source, that the US Food and Drug Agency (FDA) has prevented all shipments of Thai
rice grains from entering the US mainland due to supposed fear that rice under the Thai program is
heavily contaminated with dangerous chemicals.

The report appears to coincide with the ongoing opposition to Thai government′s rice
mortgage scheme, which the critics say are costing taxpayers billions of baht and reducing Thai rice
industry′s capability to compete on global market. Supporters of the program contend that it is a
much needed subsidy to Thai farmers, albeit a poorly implemented one.

Today, the personal
secretary to Mr. Korn Chatikavanit, a prominent member
of the Thai opposition party, has publishedon
his Facebook account a screenshot of FDA website that he said is an order by the FDA to quarantine
all shipments of Thai rice at every port on the American mainland.

In his Facebook post, Mr.
Noch Hautavanija also cited the story previously reported by The Nation and Thai Rath newspapers,
which had been vehemently denied by top officials in Thai government.

However, a quick
inspection would reveal that the FDA alert notice mentioned by Mr. Noch as
evidence is in fact a very broad order instructing FDA agents to detain shipments of food imported
from various companies and countries that are suspected of containing dangerous
chemicals.

The said order affects wide-ranging products, and it did not mention the Thai rice
scheme. Moreover, its most recent order (dated 12 May 2013) appears to focus on shipment of
glutinous rice from only one company in Thailand – based in Samut Sakorn province – and not on all
shipments of Thai rice, contrary to what the anti-government critics have claimed.

Meanwhile,
Mr. Walter Braunohler, spokesman of the US Embassy in
Bangkok, told Krungthep Turakit TV news channel that the US authorities have not altered their
treatment of Thai rice in general.

Mr. Braunohler explained that the FDA alert was first
established in 1998 and has been updated regularly ever since. He said the import alert has nothing
to do with Thai rice pledging program.

He also denied reports that the US authorities are
opposed to Thai government′s rice scheme, saying that it is the Thai people who have the right to
choose which policy works for their country.

Philosophical Abbot Quit Monkhood For 'Fateful Love'

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Khaosod English

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28 June 2013, 21:08

Phra Mitsuo Gavesako (Mr. Mitsuo Shibahashi) during his monkhood.

(28 June) The Japanese monk who has been gracing the scene of Buddhism in Thailand for 38 years as a soft-spoken, philosophical monk shocked the nation when it surfaced earlier this month that he had suddenly left monkhood and Thailand, leaving behind the secluded monastery and charity foundation he helped found.

Now, after weeks of speculation and lack of any public statement from the monk himself, it appears that Phra (monk) Mitsuo Gavesako has ended his career for a woman.

On Thursday night (27 June), individual who identified herself as Ms. Suttirat Muttamara posted photos on her Facebook account showing her and Phra Mitsuo – real name Mr. Mitsuo Shibahashi in their trips to various places. In the photos, set as Public, Mr. Mitsuo can be seen wearing casual clothes and expressing close affection to Ms. Suttirat.

Ms. Suttirat explained on her Facebook that she is revealing these photos to defend her dignity after she had been accused of drugging Mr. Mitsuo into having an affair with her and then blackmailing him into relationship. She insisted that Mr. Mitsuo has love for her, and said that Mr. Mitsuo himself would speak publicly about the matter.

The photos are undated and there is no confirmation whether they were taken before or after Mr. Mitsuo′s defrocking.

The difference can be crucial for his spiritual followers. In Buddhist dogma, monks cannot touch or have relationship in women during their ordination. In fact, the more strict Buddhists would even say that any lust or desire in one′s mind is not forbidden for the monks.

The news is made even more striking because of Phra Mitsuo′s writings during his years under monkhood. He has written extensively on the need for detachment from emotion as way of spiritual salvation, and some of his most famous quotes are praise of individuals who do not have relationship.

For example, in an interview with Matichon on Valentine′s Day in 2012, Mr. Mitsuo said that people can in fact live without relationship and suggested that some people suffer from jealousy, laziness, sadness, anger, and anxiety ecause they give love – which should be kept to themselves – to other people.

It is not immediately clear when Mr. Mitsuo started dating Ms. Suttirat. However, photos posted by Ms. Suttirat on her Facebook imply that she has visited Phra Mitsuo′s monastery as he was still its abbot.

Meanwhile, Mr. Vittayen Muttamara, the younger brother of Ms. Suttirat, wrote on his Facebook confirming that his sister is indeed engaged in relationship with Phra Mitsuo. He said that the news should not be seen as scandalous as Mr. Mitsuo never had any stain on his reputation as a monk and he is no longer in priesthood.

Mr. Vittayen said he believed that fate wrought out of the karma both Mr. Mitsuo and Ms. Suttirat committed together in their past life led them into relationship in this life. He added that he has no idea where the 2 would spend their lives.

There is no known official statement from Sunandhavanaram monastery – where Phra Mitsuo was based as its abbot – about the news of Mr. Mitsuo′s relationship. Previously, when Mr. Mitsuo left the monkhood the monastery said he left Thailand because he needed medical treatment in Japan for his health problems.

That did not stop the public from speculating Mr. Mitsuo′s sudden and unannounced departure. Many rumors suggested he had financial dispute with his book publishers, while some believed that he was entangled in an affair.

Ayutthaya 'Warlock Policeman' Has Magic As His Side Arm

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Khaosod English

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28 June 2013, 17:53

(28 June)
Worldly weapons are not deemed as adequate protection by a policeman in Ayutthaya province who also
places his trust in supernatural power to protect his well-being as he performs his duty.

Pol.Sgt.Maj. Maneesak Saentaweesuk often attracts attention from locals as he patrols the
streets on his police motorcycle – which was covered by incantation scripts written with chemical
pen. The 2 batons and radio equipment on the motorcycle were similarly scribbled with such
incantation.

The policeman told our correspondent he wrote all the hallowed inscription
himself. He said his interest in magical power dated back to when he ordained as a monk for 3 months
(1 ordination season) in his hometown and had learned some inscription writing there.

After
he started his career as a police officer, he said, he engaged in studies about Khmer and Lanna
(ancient northern Thailand) incantation, amulets, and protection spells from various monks in
Ayutthaya province. He said he also learned about magic from ancient textbooks.

As for the
spell written on his motorcycle, he explained it provided him safety and popularity with the people.
Pol.Sgt.Maj. Maneesak said he encountered many perils as a patrol policeman but the magic helped
protect him.

However, you must behave morally for the spell to work, too, he
added.

Magic and spell are big part of Thai traditional belief, and also extend to law
enforcement. Many well-known criminals believe they are protected by charms that help them evade
police and survive gunfire, while many police officers also pray to gods or spirits that would grant
them ability to fight crime.

'Jealous' Saraburi Man Confessed To Murder

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Khaosod English

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28 June 2013, 17:50

(28 June)
A man told police he emptied 3 handgun magazines shooting at his victim in Saraburi province because
the victim slept with his wife.

The murder took place in front of a condominium in the town
center. When police arrived at the scene, they found the body of Mr. Surapol Sukkasem, 38, a
resident of Autthaya province, in the front seat of his car. He was said to be a son of a
businessman in that province.

Later, Mr. Chirawat Kuanliang, 37, a resident of Saraburi,
surrendered himself to the police and said he shot Mr. Surapol to death because he had been sleeping
with his wife.

Mr. Chirawat told police he and his wife had 2 children together, and Mr.
Surapol has been a good friend of his. However, he said, he found out that Mr. Surapol has been
bringing his wife to sleep with him at that condominium, which enormously enraged him.

According to Mr. Chirawat, as soon as he saw Mr. Surapol he raced to the car, opened the car
door, and shot Mr. Surapol at point-blank range. He also sprayed bullets on the car windshields and
the car doors. He reportedly spent 3 magazines of his handgun in the murder.

The suspect told
police he felt compelled to committing the crime out of rue man′s honor.

True man can be
killed but he cannot be insulted, Mr. Chirawat told police, citing a well-known Thai
proverb.

Chiang Mai Police To Crack Down On Ethnic Vigilante Violence

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Khaosod English

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28 June 2013, 16:21

5 Tai ethnic individuals accused of stabbing and robbing 2 Thai teenagers in Chiang Mai on 16 June 2013

(28 June)
Chief of police in Chiang Mai province said he will work to prevent further clashes between gangs
of Tai immigrants and Thai individuals who are enraged by reports of robbery and assaults allegedly
committed by Tai immigrants.

Reports have been streaming from Chiang Mai that certain number
of Tai ethnics, who reside as immigrant workers in the province, has banded into gangs loitering in
the town center and causing disturbance to locals. Some of these gangs were also reportedly mugging
and beating up victims at odd hours.

One such incident was said to take place at 03.00 on 16
June. Police say 2 teenagers were assaulted by knife-wielding suspects who rode on 3 motorcycles and
spotted the victims as they were hanging around a bridge in Muang District.

The victims
reportedly fled on their motorcycle but the assailants caught up with them in front of a restaurant.
There, they were slashed with knifes on the heads, legs, and arms. The suspects also stole mobile
phone from the victims. Later, police arrested 5 Tai ethnics accused of committing the crime. The 5
Tai men reportedly confessed.

The worries over the so-called Tai gangs have led to
retaliation from Thai teenagers who formed vigilante groups and attacked Tai immigrants in the
province. Our correspondent said the situation forced many residents in town center to stay indoor
during night time, fearful of various gangs and vigilante groups who raced their motorcycles noisily
along the city roads looking for their rivals.

Recently, a Facebook page titled Campaign of
Taming Tai Gangs has been launched, gaining many ?Likes?. Many Facebook users wrote their
complaints about the alleged Tai gangs behavior, while some openly encourage vigilante actions
against the gangs.

Today, Pol.Lt.Gen. Chamnarn
Ruadrew, vice commander of Chiang Mai regional police, said he has instructed the police force step
up vigilance against both factions. He said that police will immediately step in and arrest the
individuals who gathered at any spot with intention to commit crimes.

Pol.Lt.Gen.
Chamnarn added that the police have also launched an operation to crack down on the Tai immigrant
gangs and have already detained many suspects.

Doubt Cast On Reports Of 'Stringent' FDA Thai Rice Inspection

By

Khaosod English

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28 June 2013, 15:21

(28 June) Trade office of the Thai government based in Los Angeles has released statement dismissing reports circulated by a number of Thai media agencies that the US food agency is preventing Thai rice exports from passing through American ports due to possible chemical contamination.

Previously, Thai Rath, the best-selling newspaper in Thailand, has devoted its front page to reports that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered "every port" in the US to urgently quarantine rice grains exported from Thailand.

On the 6th page of the newspaper, Thai Rath quoted an unidentified ′′foreign news agency" saying that the FDA specifically ordered "every container" carrying Thai rice inspected out of fear that the grains processed under Thai government′s rice mortgage scheme contained dangerous level of insecticide chemicals.

The newspapers also included quote from an unnamed "rice exporter" who claimed that the US alert is one of the biggest issues for rice trading in the past 20-30 years as it could affect Thai rice export growth and confidence among consumers.

"The US has never inspected Thai rice in every container. Its measure has affected confidence in Thai rice quality. The Thai government needs to clarify these doubts clearly to the public," the unnamed individual reportedly told Thai Rath.

However, a report on the website of The Nation, the well-known English newspaper based in Bangkok, appears to carry the very same quotes that appeared on Thai Rath. The Nation′s report included bothreports from unidentified "foreign news agency" and the unnamed source.

"The US FDA has ordered every port such as in New York and Chicago to confine Thai rice for random inspection. … The source said that such stringent inspection has created concern among American importers as well as Thai rice exporters. Importers could easily turn to order rice from other rice export countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia," The Nation website reported. The exact same quotes can be found in Thai Rath story on the matter.

It is not clear who copied whom. The search for news about FDA and Thai rice on the Internet by our correspondent has turned up only a report which appears in the website of Thai Financial Post.

However, the story is remarkably different to the one reported by both Thai Rath and The Nation. According to Thai Financial Post, it was the Thai Ministry of Public Heath that instructed the FDA to inspect the rice in the American market for possible chemical contaminations "in its bid to raise the nation′s rice standard to match the Good Manufacturing Practices, or GMP".

The story on the said website did not mention any plan by the FDA to quarantine Thai rice nor the "stringent" inspection reported by Thai Rath and The Nation.

The claim about FDA′s quarantine of Thai rice also appeared on Manager Online, the media agency operated by key members of the Yellowshirt movements – the fierce critics of the government under PM Yingluck Shinawatra.

Manager Online and other Yellowshirts-allied media outlets have been sharply criticizing the Yingluck administration′s rice subsidy program – or any other policy undertaken by the Prime Minister, for that matter. The Yellowshirts are self-declared enemies of Ms. Yingluck′s brother, Former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, whom they viewed as a corrupt, anti-monarchy tyrant.

The report on Manager Online bears many similar wordings to that of The Nation and Thai Rath. Manager Online claimed a "source inside rice export industry" as provider of their story.

Meanwhile, the Thai Trade Center in Los Angeles, which operates under Thai Ministry of Commerce, released statement denying the report carried by Thai Rath, The Nation, and Manager Online.

In the statement signed by Ms. Pilai Siripanich, Executive Director of the LA-based Trade Center, it says that ports management and rice buyer companies in California contacted by the Center about the matter denied that there is any known quarantine order to Thai rice exports.

Transport Minister Gets Taste Of Bangkok Public Bus

By

Khaosod English

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27 June 2013, 20:33

Mr. Chirapong Prasertpollakrang's photo on Twitter

(27 June) A top official
in Thai government reportedly ditched his usual motorcade for a bus today because he wanted to find
out about quality of Thai public transport – and tasted the life of common Bangkokian by having to
wait for more than 30 minutes before getting on the bus.

Mr. Chirapong Prasertpollakrang, a
journalist who works for The Nation newspaper, tweeted photo of Mr. Chatchart Sittipat, Minister of
Transport, at the bus stop in Ratchadumnern Avenue, just across the Government House.

The
journalist wrote in his Twitter post that Mr. Chatchart said he was waiting for Bus 509, alone, to
catch his flight at Don Muang Airport. He reportedly told Mr. Chirapong that he would switch to Bus
29 at Victory Monument.

If true, the Minister of Transport would have traveled the route into
central Bangkok notoriously known for its traffic jam.

It appears to be what he wants,
though. Previously, on 25 June, Mr. Chatchart has stated to the meeting at the Ministry that he
expected high-ranking officials to travel by the buses operated by Bangkok Mass Transit Authority
and its private contractors at least once a week between July-August this year so they can inspect
the problems faced by many Bangkokians.

Many of these buses are in poor condition while
regular passengers complain about the rude service and reckless driving behavior by the
drivers.

Mr. Chirapong said he chatted with Mr. Chatchart for a while before excused himself
and left the Transport Minister at the bus stop on his own. According to Mr. Chirapong, he told Mr.
Chatchart his Ministry should also look into the endemic problems of tuk-tuk and taxi drivers
refusing to take passengers, especially in financial districts of Bangkok.

In another Tweet,
Mr. Chirapong said Mr. Chatchart sent a text message to him that he finally got on the bus after
waiting for more than 30 minutes.

The journalist dismissed accusations from anti-government
critics that he and Mr. Chatchart staged the encounter to enhance the Minister′s image.

I
was on the bus to work at the Government House when I saw the Minister waiting at the bus stop, so I
got off in the next bus stop and ran to talk with him, The Nation reporter
insisted.

Chonburi Man Goes Fishing, Finds Dead Body

By

Khaosod English

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27 June 2013, 20:00

(27
June) A dead body has been found at a pond in Chonburi province by a man who was fishing
there.

The pond located behind a shrine dedicated to spirit of Lady Takien at Prince Chumpon
Park. The dead body identified as male, 25-30 year old. No wound or trace of fight has been detected
on his body, and no ID of any kind was found on him.

Nevertheless, police found a bag of glue
attached to his pants.

Mr. Pairote Saipetch, the person who reported the body discovery to
the police, told our correspondent that he and his friends were sneaking into the park to fish at
the pond. As they were chattering, he said, the dead body surfaced.

Police say the individual
might have been a glue addict who inhaled the substance to the point of delirium and fell into the
water.

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