China Has Deported a VW Executive for Allegedly Using Drugs While in Thailand

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23 October 2024, 22:05

China Volkswagen — FILE - A Chinese national flag flutters near a Volkswagen logo in Beijing, Tuesday, April 18, 2017. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)

BEIJING (AP) — A senior executive for Volkswagen in China has been deported for allegedly using cocaine and marijuana while on vacation in Thailand, according to Chinese authorities and German media reports.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed Wednesday that a Volkswagen employee had been deported after being detained for 10 days. A Beijing police report said an investigation had determined that the 56-year-old man, which it identified only by the initial J, had used both drugs on Oct. 5 and that he had been sentenced to detention from Oct. 10-20 as an administrative penalty.

Germany’s top-selling Bild newspaper and other media outlets reported his name as Jochen Sengpiehl, whose LinkedIn profile lists him as Volkswagen’s chief marketing officer in China. Bild reported he tested positive for drug use after returning from a holiday in Thailand.

Volkswagen declined to comment on the reports, citing labor and data protection laws. China is a major market for the German automaker and one in which it has come under intense competitive pressure in recent years from China’s rapidly growing makers of electric vehicles.

Drug use is an administrative offense in China punishable by a 10- to 15-day detention and a fine of up to 2,000 yuan ($280).

Thailand legalized marijuana in 2022 but Chinese authorities have warned that use of the drug overseas is equivalent to using it at home and subject to the same penalties.

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Pakistani Men Arrested for Forcing Herbal Sales to Indian Tourists in Pattaya

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Khaosod English

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23 October 2024, 20:36

PATTAYA — Authorities raided a store in Pattaya after Indian tourists reported being forced to buy overpriced herbal products under threats of violence.

The Chonburi Provincial Public Health Office’s Consumer Protection and Pharmaceutical Public Health Division had received complaints from several Indian tourists about an unauthorized herbal product store. They reported being deceived into buying overpriced products falsely claimed to be herbal medicines and were threatened with physical harm if they refused to purchase.

On October 23, Pattaya Tourist Police revealed that they, along with the Chonburi Provincial Public Health Office’s Consumer Protection and Pharmaceutical Public Health Division, inspected a herbal store named Green World Herbal Pharmacy Co., Ltd. located in Moo 10, Nong Prue Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province.

india paki drugstore3 — The store displays an International Rate List for various herbs.

The store sold various unlabeled medicines, including powder medications sold by weight starting from 1 gram, claiming various benefits such as hair growth, digestive relief, diabetes treatment, and sexual performance enhancement.

The sellers displayed an International Rate List for various herbs, with Johar Zafran at 600 baht per gram, John Anjak at 1,200 baht per gram, Johar Almas at 18,000 baht per gram, and Johar Diamond at 22,000 baht per gram.

Officers arrested 5 suspects, including 4 Pakistani nationals: Mr. Ullah (22), Mr. Najeebullah (39), Mr. Jalil (24), and Mr. Bacha (23), and one Myanmar national, Ms. Riya (22).

paki herb drugstore3 — 4 male Pakistani nationals and one female Myanmar national are arrested and taken to the Pattaya Police Station on Tuesday night, October 22, 2024.

The first suspect faces charges of:

Producing, selling, or importing modern medicine without permission under the Drug Act, Section 12
Selling herbal products without permission under the Herbal Products Act, Section 17
Working as a foreigner without a work permit or beyond permitted rights
Employing foreigners without work permits

Suspects 2-5 were charged with “working as foreigners without work permits or beyond permitted rights.” All suspects, along with 17 items of herbal medicine evidence, were sent to Pattaya City Police Station for legal proceedings.

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Giant Fish Thought To Be Extinct Is Spotted in the Mekong River

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Associated Press

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23 October 2024, 19:06

WASHINGTON (AP) — A huge fish in the Mekong River thought to be extinct has been spotted three times in recent years.

“The giant salmon carp is like a symbol of the Mekong region,” said Chheana Chhut, a researcher at the Inland Fisheries Research and Development Institute in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The predatory fish can grow up to 4 feet in length, and has a conspicuous knob at the tip of its lower jaw. A striking patch of yellow surrounds its large eyes.

With the last confirmed sighting in 2005, “this species of fish seems to have disappeared from the Mekong region for decades,” said Chheana, who is a co-author of a study published online Monday in the journal Biological Conservation that documents the recent sightings.

AP24296478210311 — This undated photo provided by Chhut Chheana shows a giant salmon carp, rediscovered in Cambodia. (Chhut Chheana/Wonders of the Mekong via AP)

Since 2017, biologists tracking migratory fish species in Cambodia have developed relationships with local fishing communities, asking them to alert any unusual sightings.

That’s how the three giant salmon carp found in the Mekong River and a tributary in Cambodia between 2020 and 2023 came to the attention of researchers.

“I was really surprised and excited to see the real fish for the first time,” said Bunyeth Chan, a study co-author and researcher at Svay Rieng University in Cambodia.

Researchers say the sightings give them new hope for the fate of the species. One nickname for the species is “ghost fish.”

AP24296478272382 — This undated photo provided by Chhut Chheana shows a researcher working on a giant salmon carp Aaptosyax grypus rediscovered in Cambodia. (Chhut Chheana/Wonders of the Mekong via AP)

“This rediscovery is very exciting, positive news,” said Zeb Hogan, a fish biologist at the University of Nevada, Reno, who was part of the team.

But the plight of the fish also spotlights the perils facing all migratory species in the Mekong, which faces industrial pollution and overfishing.

More than 700 dams are built along the river and its tributaries and there are very few functional “fish passages” to help species navigate obstructions, said Brian Eyler, director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Stimson Center in Washington, who was not involved in the research.

The biologists said they hope that working with local communities in Thailand and Laos will enable them to confirm if the fish still swims in other stretches of the Mekong River.

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Cross-Province Chase Ends in an Indonesian 1M Baht Theft Arrest

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Khaosod English

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23 October 2024, 15:26

HAT YAI — Police have arrested an Indonesian thief who stole 1 million baht in cash from a pickup truck shortly after the owner had withdrawn it from the bank. Police believe he is a member of a foreign criminal group operating in Thailand.

On October 23, Hat Yai police officials announced the arrest of Mr. Erwin, a 45-year-old Indonesian suspect who stole 1 million baht in cash from a vehicle parked on the street in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province, on October 21.

They worked with Songkhla Provincial Police investigation teams, Nakhon Si Thammarat City Police investigators, and Nakhon Si Thammarat Tourist Police to make the arrest after discovering the suspect had fled from Songkhla to Nakhon Si Thammarat.

The incident occurred at 4:30 PM on October 21, when the victim withdrew 1 million baht from a bank in Hat Yai and placed it in the pickup truck’s cab behind the driver’s seat. After running several errands, they parked in front of a restaurant near Bang Hak community on Sakorn Mongkol Road, Hat Yai.

indonesian hatyai3 — CCTV footage shows the suspect following the targeted pickup truck to various locations before stealing 1 million baht from the vehicle in Hat Yai, Songkhla province on October 21, 2024.

While driving over Sajjakul Bridge, the victim noticed the left door wasn’t properly closed. Upon stopping to close it, they discovered the envelope containing the million baht was missing. They immediately reported it to Hat Yai Police Station, believing the theft occurred while parked at the restaurant.

Police questioned witnesses in the area, and a Myanmar worker reported seeing a bronze Honda Civic parked with its engine running about 20 meters in front of the pickup truck, which seemed suspicious.

After reviewing CCTV footage, police found this Honda had been following the victim’s vehicle. They tracked the car from Hat Yai to Nakhon Si Thammarat, where it was parked at a hotel.

indonesian hatyai2 — A portion of the money that the suspect confessed to stealing from an envelope left in the targeted pickup truck.

On October 22, officers waited until the suspect left the hotel and entered the sedan before making the arrest. A search of his bag revealed 400,000 baht of the stolen million.

The suspect, Erwin, confessed that during the incident, he was waiting for a friend who went to exchange money at the bank when he saw a woman withdraw a large amount of cash. He followed her and saw her hand it to someone in a pickup truck parked in front of the bank.

When the pickup truck driver left, he followed the vehicle and took the opportunity to break in and steal the cash when the owner stepped away, then fled to Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Investigators don’t believe this was an opportunistic crime, suspecting instead that he belongs to a foreign criminal group operating throughout various provinces in Thailand. He has been transferred to Hat Yai Police Station for prosecution, and the investigation continues.

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Thai Industries Call for Stricter Regulation of Foreign E-commerce Platforms

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Khaosod English

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23 October 2024, 13:39

BANGKOK — Thai Private sector concerns have emerged about foreign e-commerce businesses dumping product prices, making Thai businesses unable to compete. Therefore, they propose that the government implement regulations requiring foreign e-commerce platforms to register in Thailand for legal tax compliance.

The October 2024 survey of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) titled: “How will the industry deal with the penetration of low-cost e-commerce platforms in Thailand?” found that 35.1 percent of FTI executives reported a decline in sales due to the encroachment of low-cost foreign e-commerce platforms, particularly in industries such as apparel, furniture, plastic products and packaging.

Some products sold through these platforms, moreover, may not meet standards or have quality defects, causing consumers to lose money and take risks in terms of product safety. 61.7 percent of executives believe that the influx of substandard and poor quality products poses a safety risk to consumers and increases the burden of waste management.

In addition, 44.6 percent of executives stated that they cannot compete on price and are losing market share. 41.7 percent expressed concerns that these platforms could disrupt the domestic industrial supply chain and 26.9 percent said their profitability has been affected as they have had to lower prices and reduce costs to remain competitive.

M.L.Pikhong Thongyai, Vice Chairman of FTI, announced that FTI executives propose that the government set conditions requiring foreign e-commerce platform providers to register as legal entities and open branches in Thailand.

fti 1 — The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) executives

This would enable the collection of VAT and ensure strict enforcement of consumer protection laws. They also suggest that the platforms should be held accountable for the return of products if they are of poor quality or do not match the advertised description.

However, the survey found that most FTI executives believe that Thai products can still compete with cheap foreign products sold on e-commerce platforms.

They emphasize that Thai companies need to adapt by improving their products and building on their strengths, especially by improving product standards, incorporating innovative technologies into production processes and fostering business networks to promote locally made goods and expand into international markets.

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‘Rain Bomb’ Forces Royal Barge End Practice, Reschedules for Oct 24

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Khaosod English

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23 October 2024, 00:19

BANGKOK — The Royal Thai Navy announces cancellation of Royal Barge Procession rehearsal, citing “Rain Bomb” conditions; sets new final practice for October 24.

On October 22, the Royal Thai Navy announced that during October 22, 2024 final full-scale rehearsal for the Royal Barge Procession for the Royal Kathina Ceremony at Wat Arun, they encountered unexpectedly heavy rain conditions that forced an early termination of the practice.

The Navy stated that prior to the rehearsal, they had continuously monitored weather conditions up until the start time and found no indicators of prolonged heavy rainfall.

The barge procession departed from Wasukri Pier as scheduled at 3:00 p.m., but while en route to Wat Arun, they encountered heavy rain, strong gusts of wind, and a “rain bomb” phenomenon.

These weather conditions caused the barges to be affected by wind currents, creating risks in controlling the procession and compromising safety. This led commanders to order all vessels to dock along the riverbank and halt the rehearsal for the safety of personnel and ceremonial barges. Additionally, Wat Arun area experienced high levels of accumulated rainwater and flooding, making it impossible to continue the ceremony practice.

royal barge rain5 — Oarsmen paddle their boats in rain during the dress rehearsal for the Royal barge ceremony on the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (Khaosod Photo/Somjit Jaichuen)

royal barge rain3 — Spectators captured images of the Suphannahong Royal Barge during the full dress rehearsal as heavy rain fell on October 22. The royal vessel will transport Their Majesties the King and Queen during the Royal Barge Procession ceremony on October 27, 2024. (Khaosod Photo/Narin Niempradit)

“The Royal Thai Navy thanks all citizens who showed interest and came to observe this rehearsal, and we apologize for the incident,” the statement noted.

Following this unexpected situation, the Navy will conduct another final practice on October 24, involving only four royal barges: the Suphannahong Royal Barge, the Narai Song Suban King Rama IX Royal Barge, the Anantanakkharat Royal Barge, the Anekchatbhuchong Royal Barge, and the Tangmo (inner drum boat).

Thursday’s practice route will run between Wat Rakhang Khositaram and Wichai Prasit Fort from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Personnel will not wear ceremonial attire as they need to prepare for the actual ceremony on October 27. Interested members of the public are welcome to observe this rehearsal.

royal barge rain4 — Spectators braved heavy rain to witness the Royal Barge during the full dress rehearsal on October 22, 2024. (Khaosod Photo/ Yingyos Akmanachai)

The Marine Department will control river traffic on the Chao Phraya River during the specified time and area, though ferry services outside the operational area will continue normal operations.

The Royal barge ceremony, a merit-making procession on the Chao Phraya River to Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan, also known as the Temple of Dawn, is scheduled for October 27, 2024, following the end of Buddhist Lent.

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Police Find 3 Chinese Students Who Were Kidnapped for Ransom

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Khaosod English

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22 October 2024, 16:48

BANGKOK — Three Chinese students who were lured from Bangkok and held for a 1.5 million baht ransom last week have been found in Tak Province, near Myanmar border. Investigators believe the perpetrators worked as part of an organized operation that included Thai nationals.

The three Chinese students are: Mr. Chi, age 18, who entered Thailand twice – first on October 29, 2023, at Suvarnabhumi Airport with a student visa, and second on October 10, 2024; Mr. Yu, age 20, who first entered Thailand on October 28, 2023, at Don Mueang Airport with a student visa; and Mrs. Sun, age 18, who entered Thailand three times on tourist visas, most recently arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport on October 26, 2023.

On October 22, Police Major General Noppasilp Poolsawat, Deputy Commander of the Metropolitan Police, and his team announced updates on the case. All three students were found safe after being lured away on October 17.

Investigation revealed that on October 17 at around 6:00 a.m., the three students called a Grab car to travel from their university to Don Mueang Airport, arriving at Mae Sot Airport at 10:00 a.m. They then checked into a resort in Mae Sot District, Tak Province.

3chinese students 3 — Metropolitan police officers in Bangkok video call to question the three Chinese students who were safely rescued and are now under the protection of Social Development and Human Security officials in Tak Province, October 22, 2024.

At 5:00 p.m., a pickup truck picked up all three victims to take them to an area opposite Phop Phra district, Tak province. At 9:00 p.m., their friends received messages asking for help and notified their teachers before reporting to police at Thammasala Metropolitan Police Station.

The police operation team, working with Metropolitan Police Division 7, coordinated with relevant agencies and received information from locals in Phop Phra district that the three victims were found in a forest area in Moo 6, Mae Tao sub-district, Mae Sot, Tak Province. The victims were taken to Tak Immigration Office for physical and mental health examinations.

All three were physically unharmed with no signs of injury. They were placed under protection, and the Tak Provincial Social Development and Human Security Office took them to a shelter while contacting their relatives.

During questioning, the three stated that while waiting for their semester to start, they looked for work. A friend in China informed them about a job delivering goods from Tak province to Bangkok for 100,000 baht. They believed this offer without knowing what they would be delivering, communicating with the criminals via WeChat before being kidnapped and taken to an office in Myanmar.

3chinese students 1 — CCTV screenshot shows the Chinese three students called a Grab car to travel from their university to Don Mueang Airport, on October 17, 2024.

At that location, 6-7 armed men threatened them with violence, demanding they contact their parents to transfer 300,000 yuan ($42,130) or approximately 1,500,000 baht for their release. If they didn’t pay, they would be sent to a call center gang in Myawaddy, Myanmar.

The three victims tried to negotiate the amount. Mrs. Sun contacted her mother in China, who transferred 100,000 yuan ($14,045). Before the other two victims could transfer money, the criminals released them, and they were found by police.

Police Major General Noppasilp believes the criminals worked as an organized operation that included Thai nationals. The investigation is ongoing, particularly focusing on finding the Thai person who drove the pickup truck that transported the three victims from the resort to the forest area in Phop Phra district, Tak province.

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Marriott Launches ‘Connect Responsibly’ for Sustainable Events

By

MC Marketing

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22 October 2024, 14:41

BETHESDA, MD – Marriott International, Inc. (Marriott) today announced the launch of Connect Responsibly with Marriott Bonvoy Events (Connect Responsibly), a program designed to help meeting planners embed sustainability into their events at participating hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio.

Connect Responsibly plans to offer meetings and events customers access to detailed Meeting Impact Reports to measure the environmental impact of their events and select options to purchase carbon credits.

The program is anticipated to go live at managed and franchised properties from participating brands globally by the end of October. As part of the global launch, Connect Responsibly is expected to be available in more than 50 hotels in Thailand, and nearly 500 properties in Asia Pacific Excluding China.

“There is nothing like connecting in person, and doing so responsibly makes it that much better. With the Connect Responsibly program, we are giving our meetings and events customers options to better understand the impacts of their meetings as we collectively strive to create a more resilient future for travel,” said Erika Alexander, Chief Global Officer, Global Operations, Marriott International.

Fueled by growing demand for meeting solutions that address sustainability and informed by research and consumer insights from its global pilot program, Marriott is focused on offering a Meeting Impact Report through the Connect Responsibly program. Available following an event, the user-friendly Meeting Impact Report is intended to capture event details, property-specific sustainability practices implemented for the event, and the event’s carbon and water footprints, calculated through established hospitality industry methodologies.

Marriott expects the Meeting Impact Report to be available in 11 different languages based on location, including English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Arabic, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

In collaboration with South Pole, a carbon asset developer and climate consultancy, Marriott plans to offer meetings and events customers the ability to access select carbon offset projects.

Through the Meeting Impact Report, these customers will have the option to utilize the South Pole online shop to choose from a range of carbon offset projects – verified by independent third-party organizations – that can be purchased as part of their event.

“Meetings and events are important business for Marriott. Our customers are eager to participate in sustainability efforts. Connect Responsibly expands ongoing initiatives and strengthens our efforts focused on sustainability in hospitality,” said Tammy Routh, Senior Vice President, Global Sales, Marriott International.

“We are excited to build on our sustainability reporting capabilities to provide our meetings and events customers with detailed Meeting Impact Reports and offer access to a select portfolio of verified carbon offset projects, through our collaboration with South Pole.”

This announcement is part of Marriott’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at properties and in the supply chain. As of April 2024, Marriott is the largest global hospitality company to receive approval from the Science Based Targets initiative for both near-term and long-term science-based emissions reduction targets (SBTs).

To drive progress toward its SBTs, Marriott launched the company’s Climate Action Program (CAP), which includes property-level carbon reduction goals and actions.

Connect Responsibly supports Marriott’s Sustainability and Social Impact Platform, Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction. For more information on the company’s Serve 360 initiatives, visit http://www.marriott.com/Serve360.

Note on forward-looking statements:

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of federal securities laws, including statements related to the company’s plans and expectations related to sustainability, including goals, targets and commitments; sustainability-related plans, initiatives and strategies; demand trends and expectations; and similar statements concerning anticipated future events and expectations that are not historical facts.

These statements are typically accompanied by the words “plan,” “expect,” “goal,” “target,” “commitment,” “will,” “strive,” or similar expressions. We caution you that these statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to numerous evolving risks and uncertainties that we may not be able to accurately predict or assess, including the risk factors that we describe in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

Any of these factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations we express or imply in this press release. Goals, targets or commitments described in this press release are aspirational and subject to change and are not guarantees or promises that all goals, targets or commitments will be met.

We make these statements as of the date of this press release, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Get Ready: Phuket’s Most Anticipated 2024 Top Restaurants Awards Winners to Be Revealed

By

MC Marketing

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22 October 2024, 14:39

Phuket, Thailand, TRAVELINDEX / Culinary enthusiasts and food lovers are invited to discover and celebrate the vibrant dining scene of Phuket at the upcoming TOP25 Restaurants Phuket Awards 2024. This prestigious event will honor the best restaurants on the island, as selected and ranked by the innovative Restaurant Rating Index.

The TOP25 Restaurants Awards are a significant milestone in Phuket’s culinary calendar. This year marks the third installment of the awards, which aims to celebrated Phuket as a premier gastronomic destination and the first city in Thailand and Southeast Asia to be recognized by UNESCO City of Gastronomy.

The awards ceremony will take place on October 29, 2024, at the luxurious InterContinental Resort & Spa Phuket, where guests will enjoy an evening filled with gastronomic delights and networking opportunities.

“We are thrilled to share the 2024 Award Winners in Phuket,” stated Bernard Metzger, Founder of the TOP25 Restaurants Guide and Award series. In a notable expansion for this year’s event, the awards will also introduce several Special Awards aimed at recognizing excellence in specific areas of the culinary industry. Categories will include Sustainable Restaurants, Outstanding Cuisine, the Gastronomy Pioneer Award, and more.”

“These special recognitions are a testament to the evolving culinary landscape in Phuket and our commitment to promoting sustainability and innovation within the industry,” Metzger added. “We are proud to highlight those restaurants that not only serve incredible food but also contribute positively to the community and environment.”

The Restaurant Rating Index: A New Standard

The Restaurant Rating Index is a proprietary system developed by Travelindex, which evaluates various aspects of dining establishments. This multi-level index considers:

Quality of Food: The taste, creativity, and presentation of dishes.
Ambience and Comfort: The overall dining environment, including decor and seating arrangements.
Value for Money: The balance between price and quality.
Online Footprint: The extent of the restaurant’s digital reach and influence.
Social Markers: Online presence, media engagement, customer reviews, and social markers.
Media Engagement: How often the restaurant is featured in culinary publications or articles.
Review Content Analysis: AI-driven analysis of customer reviews to gauge overall sentiment and satisfaction.

By combining AI analysis with expert discernement, the Restaurant Rating Index provides an objective and nuanced ranking that reflects both culinary excellence and customer experience in the dining landscape of Phuket and beyond

The awards ceremony will provide an opportunity for food enthusiasts, industry professionals, and local influencers to come together and discover which restaurants have earned a place among the TOP25.

Attendees will also have the chance to meet the talented chefs behind these culinary triumphs, gaining insights into their creative processes and the inspirations behind their dishes. Following the ceremony, a comprehensive list of award winners, along with all nominated and recognized restaurants, will be made available online for the public to discover and explore.

For more information about the awards, and to discover all restaurants from the TOP25 selection in Phuket, please visit: https://www.top25restaurants.com/thailand/phuket/

Thong Lo Police Arrest First Filipino Pickpocket Gang of 7

By

Khaosod English

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22 October 2024, 14:19

BANGKOK — Police officers have arrested another foreign pickpocket gang in downtown Bangkok, marking the first time a Filipino gang has been caught in such operations.

On October 23, Thong Lo police reported the arrest of seven Filipino pickpockets – five women and two men – at a hotel in Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai district, Bangkok. Evidence included the clothes worn during their crimes.

The suspects are Ms. Lourdes (61), Ms. Ofelia (67), Ms. Katrina (35), Ms. Annalyn (33), Ms. Joy (28), Mr. Brian (35), and Mr. Alid (45). All were charged with nighttime theft, which carries a penalty of 1-7 years imprisonment and fines of 20,000-140,000 baht, plus compensation for stolen property.

filipino pickpok2 — Police arrest team poses for a photo with seven Filipino suspects (blurred faces) at their hotel room in Bangkok’s Phaya Thai area on October 21, 2024.

Thong Lo police received reports of foreign pickpockets operating in the Sukhumvit-Asok business area. Investigators tracked the suspects through CCTV footage and discovered they were staying at a hotel in Phaya Thai area. On October 21, police raided their hotel rooms and arrested all suspects, seizing the clothes worn during their crimes.

Investigation revealed they entered Thailand on tourist visas. They confessed to multiple thefts, targeting areas frequented by foreigners. Their method involved surrounding victims before pickpocketing them, then transferring money to middlemen before flying home.

The Thong Lo area is popular among Japanese and European tourists. Previously, Thong Lo police had arrested pickpocket gangs from Vietnam, Cambodia, Congo, and China. This is the first arrest of a Filipino gang in the area. At least two victims have filed police reports.

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Note on forward-looking statements:

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