Thai soldiers stand beside seized 50 million methamphetamine pills hidden in sacks during a news conference at Thongphaphum Police station in Kanchanaburi province, Thailand, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Keskawe Chongchareon)
BANGKOK (AP) — Thai police have seized what is being called a record haul of methamphetamine tablets in the western province of Kanchanaburi, close to the Myanmar border.
Officers found an estimated 50 million tablets hidden in sacks in a six-wheeler truck they stopped at a joint police-military checkpoint on Tuesday. The occupants of the truck – a man and a woman – were arrested.
The quantity of methamphetamine tablets seized is a record for Thailand, Jeremy Douglas, the Southeast Asia regional representative for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, said Wednesday. The region’s biggest known seizure took place in neighboring Laos in October 2021, when a consignment of 55 million pills was discovered.
Officers found an estimated 50 million tablets hidden in sacks in a six-wheeler truck. (Khaosod Photo)
“We’ve not seen major cases here in Kanchanaburi for a couple of years, and never anything like this,” Douglas said. “But it’s also not a surprise given the extreme supply being produced by militias and traffickers in northern Myanmar.”
Myanmar has historically been the region’s main drug production area in part because of lax security measures in border areas where minority ethnic groups have long been fighting for greater autonomy. Some of the powerful ethnic armed groups there have been heavily involved in narcotics production for decades.
A 2021 military takeover in Myanmar that unseated the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi triggered armed resistance nationwide, further destabilizing the country.
The U.N. drug agency’s June 2023 report on synthetic drugs in East and Southeast Asia warned that the huge trade in methamphetamine and other illegal drugs shows no signs of slowing down.
Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who is also interior minister, told reporters that illegal drugs used to be smuggled into Thailand’s northern and northeastern provinces, but had moved to western provinces such as Kanchanaburi because of more intense surveillance and security along the old routes, a point the U.N. agency had also made earlier this year.
Anutin said increased combat between Myanmar’s military and its foes among the country’s pro-democracy movement and ethnic minority armed groups also increased the smugglers’ risks along their old routes.
BANGKOK – At the MICHELIN Guide Ceremony in Thailand on December 13, Michelin officially unveiled the MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2024 edition, revealing its much-awaited full restaurant selection and celebrating the accomplishments of Thailand’s vibrant and dynamic culinary community.
The newly released Guide features 447 establishments – with 7 two MICHELIN Stars (2 promoted from one MICHELIN Star), 28 one MICHELIN Star (3 newcomers, and 3 promoted from MICHELIN Selected), 196 Bib Gourmand (28 newcomers, and 4 moved from MICHELIN Selected), and 216 MICHELIN Selected entries (37 newcomers).
The MICHELIN Guide Ceremony is held at the Capella Hotel on Charoen Krung Road on December 13, 2023.
Among new additions to the Guide, 23 are from Ko Samui (4 Bib Gourmand, and 7 MICHELIN Selected entries) and Surat Thani Mainland (8 Bib Gourmand, and 4 MICHELIN Selected entries), the newly covered territories in this seventh local edition.
According to Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guides, with an abundance of great local produce, including the freshest premium seafood, combined with a melting pot of cultures, Ko Samui and the mainland city of Surat Thani – the two additions in the beautiful gulf of Thailand – boast a vibrant and varied culinary scene that further contributes to The MICHELIN Guide Thailand’s existing restaurant selection.
Gwendal Poullennec
“Our inspectors have experienced the true diversity that Thailand has to offer, from modern restaurants pushing culinary boundaries to simple street food stalls – continuously reinforcing Thailand’s rich gastronomic culture and heritage. The 2024 edition of The MICHELIN Guide Thailand highlights not only these exceptional culinary experiences, but also the latest trends in the country’s culinary world,” said Mr. Poullennec.
Underlying trends of Thailand’s culinary and gastronomic scene: Modern Thai cooking, healthy cuisines, sustainable production, and female prominence
Having travelled the length of the country, MICHELIN Guide inspectors noted the continued growth of a new breed of modern Thai restaurants helmed by a new generation of young and passionate Thai chefs, who are pushing the boundaries of what is perceived as modern Thai cooking. In addition, there has been a growth of reservation only, counter dining operations – serving modern and innovative tasting menus.
J’AIME by Jean-Michel Lorain
The trend for healthy and vegetarian cuisine also continues in Thailand, with the demand for plant-based and organic foods steadily rising as consumers have become more attuned to their consumption habits.
This health-consciousness has led to a surge in demand for organic and healthy food products. Therefore, the trend of using locally produced, home-grown ingredients and of sustainable production is becoming more prominent – especially in upscale restaurants.
Particularly notable is the growing number of female chefs and entrepreneurs in the food and beverage industry, who play significant roles in developing and shaping the culinary scene across the entire country.
2 restaurants newly receive two MICHELIN Stars
In the 2024 MICHELIN Guide Thailand edition, Sorn, Mezzaluna, R-Haan, Sühring, and Chef’s Table are two Michelin-star retaining restaurants. Two MICHELIN Stars listing adds 2 new entries promoted from the one MICHELIN Star rating:
Baan Tepa, where the farm-to-table philosophy is brought to the skillfully crafted, detailed cooking on its contemporary Thai tasting menu, made with seasonal ingredients sourced from sustainably minded producers and its backyard;
Gaa, a contemporary Indian restaurant that combines old-school cooking with modern techniques and presentation – serving assured and skillful dishes where finely judged spicing, extraordinary flavor combinations and contrasts in texture and temperature stand out.
It is noteworthy that both restaurants are run by female chefs: Chef Chudaree ‘Tam’ Debhakam of Baan Tepa, and Chef Garima Arora of Gaa. While Baan Tepa now boasts two MICHELIN Stars in the 2024 Guide after winning one MICHELIN Star upon entering the 2023 Guide; Gaa is only the second Indian restaurant in the world to currently hold two MICHELIN Stars.
Nawa
6 restaurants newly receive one MICHELIN Star
There are 28 restaurants that have received one MICHELIN star. Of these, 22 restaurants have continued to retain, including: Jay Fai, Signature, Nahm, IGNIV Bangkok, Chim by Siam Wisdom, Haoma, Saneh Jaan, Sushi Masato, Aksorn, Canvas, 80/20, Cadence by Dan Bark, Khao (Ekkamai), Elements, Inspired by Ciel Bleu, Potong, Maison Dunand, Côte by Mauro Colagreco, PRU, Le Normandie by Alain Roux, Suan Thip, Blue by Alain Ducasse, and Le Du.
Of the 6 new one MICHELIN Star entries, 3 are newcomers making it into the Guide for the first time, and the other 3 are promoted from MICHELIN Selected.
The 3 newcomers awarded one MICHELIN Star are:
INDDEE, a modern Indian restaurant that takes diners on a journey around the different regions of India with its set menu using the charcoal grill extensively throughout;
NAWA, a Thai contemporary restaurant that embraces the innovation concept, using modern techniques to produce central Thai cuisine with authentic yet bold flavors, and a seasonal tasting menu of finger food, small bites and modified versions of main courses;
Samrub Samrub Thai, a Thai restaurant offering a truly original tasting menu (changed bi-monthly) featuring ancient Thai recipes reproduced to trace the ages and crafts a complex amalgamation of aromas.
The 3 one MICHELIN Star laureates promoted from the MICHELIN Selected are:
Mia, a restaurant offering modern European cuisine with Asian influences through the seasonal ‘Taste of Mia’ menu that shows off dishes with complex, well-balanced flavors in a 5- or 8-course feast – with vegan and vegetarian options, as well as with cocktail, mocktail and wine pairings available;
Resonance, a restaurant offering a seasonal tasting menu that features dishes inspired by the chef’s past experience working around the world, with a tea pairing option upon advance request;
Wana Yook, a restaurant offering an innovative seasonal tasting menu inspired by “Khao Gaeng” or “rice topped with curry”, whereby every course features flavorsome Thai contemporary dishes with rice from different regions of Thailand.
A restaurant awarded with a MICHELIN Green Star for its inspiring sustainable approach
Joining PRU, Haoma and Jampa, who all hold MICHELIN Green Stars highlighting their commitment to sustainability, is a creative French restaurant, J’AIME by Jean-Michel Lorain. The chef and the team have made great advancements in developing their sustainable approach by building close relationships with Thai producers, examining in detail their kitchen practices – including monitoring their waste, abiding by strict recycling systems and many other smaller initiatives – all contributing towards their goal of striving towards a more sustainable future.
With this newly-awarded restaurant, the MICHELIN Guide Thailand selection has a total of 4 MICHELIN Green Starred establishments.
J’AIME by Jean-Michel Lorain, a brand new MICHELIN Green Star restaurant
Four MICHELIN Guide Special Awards
With its Special Awards, the MICHELIN Guide shines a light on talented professionals in Michelin-recommended restaurants who raise the gastronomic experience to a higher level. In doing so, they demonstrate how varied and exciting the hospitality industry is to work in.
The MICHELIN Young Chef Award
The 2024 MICHELIN Young Chef Award recognizes a young chef whose exceptional talent and great potential have impressed the inspectors.
This year, the Young Chef Award, presented by Blancpain, is given to Ms. Chudaree ‘Tam’ Debhakam from Baan Tepa. A Thai chef with a bright future, Ms. Debhakam’s rise has been meteoric. After a stage at Gaggan, a role at the Water Library Group, and being a Chef de Partie at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York State, she returned to Thailand and subsequently made waves in the Thailand culinary scene when her restaurant, Baan Tepa, was awarded a MICHELIN Star upon entry in the 2023 Guide, and now awarded two MICHELIN Stars in only its second year in the Guide!
Baan Tepa
The MICHELIN Opening of the Year Award
The 2024 MICHELIN Opening of the Year Award is given to individuals and team, for the successful opening of a dining venue over the past 12 months, with a creative degustation concept and a cuisine approach which has had an impact on the local gastronomic scene.
This award, presented by UOB, is awarded to Mr. Witchupol “Nay” Charoensupaya who is the owner of NAWA. NAWA opened in early 2023, and has entered the 2024 Guide with a MICHELIN Star. Napol Jantraget, or “Chef Joe”, heads the kitchen along with his partner, Saki Hoshino, with Mr. Charoensupaya out at front – together, they make a formidable team and were the obvious choice for the Opening of the Year Award with their terrific central Thai cooking featuring modern interpretations of traditional dishes.
The MICHELIN Service Award
The 2024 MICHELIN Service Award aims to highlight and encourage skilled and talented professionals who dramatically add to the customer experience.
This year’s MICHELIN Guide Service Award, presented by Tourism Authority of Thailand, is given to Ms. Louise Bourgeois from Chef’s Table. Ms. Bourgeois, the manager at Chef’s Table, has always greeted guests with a warm, fervent welcome. Her charming approach and delightfully relaxed manner really stand out. She also exudes a great presence, leading the team with real style.
The MICHELIN Sommelier Award
The 2024 MICHELIN Sommelier Award recognizes the skills, knowledge, and passion of talented sommeliers of the industry. This year’s Sommelier Award is awarded to Mr. Thanakorn ‘Jay’ Bottorff from INDDEE. Mr. Bottorff presents a beautifully curated wine list of 600 selections – including nearly 60 wines by the glass, with a superb mix of the esoteric and the classic it makes a great read with even a few quizzes to test your knowledge!
With a warm, easy-going, and approachable style, he is a superb communicator and clearly knows his way around the terrific list. The wine pairings are thoughtfully curated, as he is not only flexible and affable, but also considers thoughtfully the diners’ preferences in his recommendations.
_____
The MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2024 at a Glance:
7 two MICHELIN Stars (2 promoted from one MICHELIN Star)
28 one MICHELIN Star (3 new, 3 promoted from MICHELIN Selected)
4 MICHELIN Green Star (1 new)
196 Bib Gourmand (28 new, 4 moved from MICHELIN Selected)
216 MICHELIN Selected (37 new)
The selection of hotels in the MICHELIN Guide Thailand complements the restaurant selection and is available free of charge on the MICHELIN Guide website and app. The selection showcases unique and truly moving destinations both in Thailand and throughout the world.
Every hotel in the selection has been chosen by the MICHELIN Guide experts for its extraordinary style, service, and personality, and they can all be booked directly via the MICHELIN Guide website and app. Some of the most prominent hotels in this selection in Thailand include intimate designer boutique hotels and unique establishments from the “Plus” collection.
The MICHELIN Guide, which is a benchmark in the world of gastronomy, is now setting a new standard for hotels. Visit the MICHELIN Guide website or download the mobile app free of charge on your smartphone to discover all the MICHELIN Guide selections and book unforgettable hotels and restaurants.
Thai police arrested Saranpat Bawornkijnukorn, a 39-year-old transgender woman, for stealing a gold bracelet from an Indian tourist. on Tuesday night.
PATTAYA – She wore the same outfit as the person who took a gold bracelet from an Indian tourist’s wrist, but she claimed she had only woken him up.
Thai police arrested Saranpat Bawornkijnukorn, a 39-year-old transgender woman, for stealing a gold bracelet from an Indian tourist. The arrest took place at a condominium in Soi Khao Noi, Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi on December 12.
The theft occurred on December 2, 2023, when Mr. Kolal, a 40-year-old Indian national, reported to Pattaya City Police Station that his gold bracelet, worth 200,000 baht, had been stolen. Police reviewed security footage and identified a man dressed as a woman as the suspect. The theft took place in front of a marijuana shop on Walking Street in Pattaya.
The suspect confessed to being the person in the security footage, but she denied stealing the bracelet.
After receiving the report, police searched the area for clues and reviewed security footage from the scene and the suspect’s escape route. They were able to track down the suspect to the condominium where she was staying.
Police received a tip from another resident of the condominium that she was staying in a particular room. They then had security knock on the door and, when they entered the room, they found her.
Saranpat confessed to being the person in the security footage, but she denied stealing the bracelet. She claimed that she had simply walked up to the tourist to wake him up.
Police do not believe the suspect’s story, as she has a previous conviction for theft in 2017. She was arrested and taken to the police station for further questioning.
Parliament member Rukchanok Srinork of Thailand's opposition Move Forward party arrives at criminal court for the verdict for allegedly violating the lese majeste law in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Sopha Saelee)
BANGKOK (AP) — A court in Thailand convicted and sentenced Wednesday a recently elected lawmaker to six years in prison for defaming the monarchy under a controversial law that guards the royal institution.
Rukchanok Srinork arrived at the court building in the capital, Bangkok, while her fellow lawmakers were convening in Parliament.
“I submitted a request to postpone (the hearing) because today the new parliament convenes for its first session, but the court refused. So I came to hear the verdict,” she told reporters, standing next to her party leader who was there to lend support.
She was charged over two posts she allegedly shared two years ago on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter: A tweet that reportedly defamed the monarchy over links to a coronavirus vaccine and a retweet of an anti-monarchy quote by 18th-century French philosopher Denis Diderot.
Rukchanok was sentenced to three years on each count under Article 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code which protects the monarchy, known as lese majeste. She was also convicted under the Computer Crime Act, whose broad provisions covering online activities have been criticized as a threat to freedom of expression.
She has appealed the sentence and applied for bail. If denied, she will lose her lawmaker status.
Parliament member Rukchanok Srinork, right, of Thailand’s opposition Move Forward party hugs her supporter as she arrives at criminal court, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023.in Bangkok, Thailand. (AP Photo/Chalida Ekvitthayavechnukul)
The parliamentarian had denied she posted the tweets, calling the case against her “weak.” The plaintiff reportedly provided screenshots of the posts, but the police couldn’t find the links.
Rukchanok, 29, won a seat in May’s general election, part of a shock victory for the progressive Move Forward Party that shook Thai politics. The win did not translate into power due to the party being ultimately out-maneuvered by powerful conservative forces. She was initially a defender of the conservative establishment before switching sides and joining the progressive movement.
The monarchy and the laws that protect it have come under pressure in the last few years. In 2020, tens of thousands — predominantly young people — marched in several Thai cities, demanding constitutional reform and the abolition of the commonly named “112 law.” The government’s response was an unprecedented slew of prosecutions.
Critics say the lese majeste law is often used to quash political dissent. The law makes insulting the monarch, his immediate family and the regent punishable by up to 15 years in jail.
The police officers take the suspect in the gold robbery to make a planned re-enactment at the gold shop in Lotus Mall in Fang District, Chiang Mai.
CHIANG MAI – A gold robber in the latest case in Chiang Mai Province doesn’t seem like the gold robbers in other cases. He lives in a luxury house and is the son-in-law of a millionaire who owns a famous orange orchard in the province.
Thatchaset Chetthawatananukon, 42, is a suspect who robbed a Yaowarat Krungthep gold shop in a retail department store, Fang branch, Chiang Mai province, using a gun. On the evening of November 28, he took four trays of gold jewellery, each weighing 6-15 baht and totaling around 88 items weighing 300 baht (gold jewellery weighing 1 baht = 15.16 grammes). The incident lasted only one minute.
The gold shop robbery by the suspect, who wore costly brand-name shoes on November 28, 2023, lasted only one minute.
On December 13, police officers of Fang Police Station transported Thatchaset from Fang Police Station to a planned reenactment at the gold store in Lotus Mall. The police then escorted him to a luxury house near the famous orange orchard in Ban Mae Jai, Wiang Subdistrict, Fang District, where he had escaped following the robbery.
Despite wearing a full-body suit during the incident, the suspect wore costly brand-name shoes. So police traced the suspect until he was identified.
The investigators also found that Thatchaset went to Myanmar following the robbery, wearing the same shoes. He brought 300 baht of gold and sold it for a low price of 6 million baht when the true price should have been 9.9 million baht, returning only 1.5 million in cash. He intended to return in January to collect the money that was left.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Thawatchai Phongwiwattanachai, Chiang Mai Provincial Police Commander, and the investigative team obtained a warrant from the Chiang Mai Provincial Court to arrest Thatchaset on December 12.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Thawatchai Phongwiwattanachai questions the suspect on Dec. 12.
The officers also searched three other locations in the Fang and Mueang Chiang Mai districts. The motorcycle and pistols involved in the crime were discovered with 1.4 million baht in cash.
Mr. Thatchaset confessed to doing such a crime after trading stocks and bitcoin and having lost a lot of money. Even though he is the son-in-law of a rich man who is the owner of a large orange orchard and luxury houses in Fang District, Chiang Mai, he wanted to find funds to further invest in his personal business.
The money worth 1.4 million was found in the suspect’s house.
All energy types needed to raise living standards and reduce emissions
Suda Ninvoraskul, country manager and managing director, ExxonMobil Limited, shared ExxonMobil Global Outlook: Our View to 2050 in a recent public lecture held by the Petroleum Institute of Thailand (PTIT) for online and face-to-face audiences. ExxonMobil Limited is an affiliate of Exxon Mobil Corporation (ExxonMobil), a world-class US energy company.
More people, more prosperity, and more energy with lower emissions
ExxonMobil Global Outlook expects the world’s population increases from about 8 billion people today to nearly 10 billion in 2050 – a rate of about 1 million people every six days – and the global economy doubles. These two factors will lead to the need for 15% more energy to support a growing population with rising living standards – many of whom live in the developing world.
The Global Outlook projects that the biggest change in the world’s energy mix between now and 2050 will be a significant increase in solar and wind, along with a significant reduction in coal.
Energy from solar and wind is projected to be more than quintuple, from 2% of the world’s supply to 11%. Coal will increasingly be displaced by lower-emission sources of electricity production – not just renewables but also natural gas, which has about half the carbon intensity of coal. Overall, electricity use grows 80% by 2050.
Oil and natural gas are expected to make up a major part in the world’s energy supply at 54%. The utility of oil and natural gas in meeting the world’s needs remains unmatched. They are energy-dense, available, affordable, and essential raw materials for many products.
Oil use is expected to decline significantly in personal transportation. Still, it will remain essential for industrial processes and heavy-duty transport like shipping, long-haul trucking, and aviation, which underpin economic growth.
Natural gas use is projected to increase by more than 20% by 2050, given its utility as a reliable and lower-emissions source of fuel for electricity generation, hydrogen production, and heating for both industrial processes and buildings.
By 2050, ExxonMobil expects emissions to decline by 25%, but more is needed to limit warming to well below 2°C.
Three drivers will accelerate the energy transition
Suda closed her lecture with three key enables for successful energy transition – policy, technology, and market-driven solutions. All involve broad collaboration among governments, companies, universities, and others.
First, ExxonMobil believes clear and consistent public policy can incentivize lower-emissions solutions. Streamlined permitting is needed to build new solutions and the needed infrastructure.
Second, technology advances innovation to develop needed solution. An all-of-the-above approach to technology, where governments avoid picking winners and losers, will lead to the most cost-efficient solutions produced in a timely manner.
Third, to achieve global emission-reduction goals, the world will need to develop an economy that values and pays for emission reduction on a full lifecycle basis. This economy will need a transparent carbon price to incentivize consumer behavior and spur the carbon market.
BANGKOK – Kathy Chow, a Hong Kong actress, has many Thai fans who have long followed her work, particularly during the golden era of Hong Kong series and films in the 1980s and 1990s.
On December 12, Thai news and entertainment websites extensively publicised her unexpected passing away at the age of 57. The news started with rumours since Monday evening before being confirmed by Kathy Chow studio on Tuesday evening.
Born December 6, 1966 in Hong Kong, Chow made her debut as an entertainer after participating in the Miss Hong Kong pageant contest at the age 19 in 1985. As an actress, model and singer, Chow was widely known for various roles in TVB Hong Kong series during the late 1980s to 1990s, including The Feud of Two Brothers (1986), Looking Back in Anger (1989), Fight Back to School III (1993).
However, her greatest success was working with a Taiwanese television series, playing the role of Zhou Zhiruo in the Wuxia novel The Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre by Louis Cha. The series was first broadcast on TTV in Taiwan in 1994 and put her on the road to superstardom. Many fans in Thailand voted her best Zhou Zhiruo version among many.
Her first love was Ray Lui, who was ten years older than her. The two worked together on the TVB drama “The Upheaval” in 1986 and secretly registered their marriage in Las Vegas, the United States, in 1988. Even though the marriage ended in 1989, they remained friends after their breakup.
Ray Lui and Kathy Chow married in 1988–1989.
According to China Daily, Chow relocated from Hong Kong to Beijing in 2003 for new career opportunities. While occasionally starring in some TVB series, Chow focused on productions on the Chinese mainland, including drama series and reality TV shows.
Reports had previously surfaced suggesting that she was battling the autoimmune disease lupus, which had reportedly impacted her professional endeavors.
Chow’s untimely passing has left a void in the entertainment industry, as colleagues, friends, and fans have paid tribute on social media to her remarkable contributions to the world of cinema.
This photo provided by Interpol shows a turtle seized by Thailand custom officers on Nov.17, 2023. (Interpol via AP)
PARIS (AP) — Interpol and the World Customs Organization said Tuesday they seized 53 primates, four big cats and more than 1,300 birds, as well as some 300 kilograms of ivory, thousands of turtle eggs, and rhino horns, leopard skins, and lion teeth and paws in their sweeping annual crackdown on wildlife and timber trafficking that this year covered 133 countries.
Interpol said it coordinated around 500 arrests worldwide from Oct. 2 to 27. More than 2,000 confiscations of animals and plants were made. This year’s operation marks the highest participation in Operation Thunder since its inception in 2017.
This photo provided by Interpol shows a seized live pangolin on Oct.20, 2023 in Mozambique. (Interpol via AP)This photo provided by Interpol shows a X-ray suitcase containing rhino horns and seized by Indonesian custom officers on Nov.17, 2023. (Interpol via AP)
The live animals were destined for the pet trade, egg harvesting or as a source of meat, while the wildlife parts are used for jewelry or rituals.
“Important and endangered animals, birds and plants are being put at risk of extinction by wildlife and timber traffickers,” said Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock. “These appalling crimes not only deprive the world of unique animals and plants but also countries of their natural assets.”
As part of the operation, hundreds of vehicles, including cars, trucks, and cargo ships, were searched at checkpoints across all regions. Specialized sniffer dogs and X-ray scanners were deployed to detect hidden wildlife and camouflaged timber shipments. Hundreds of parcels, suitcases, vehicles, boats, and cargo transporters were examined.
This photo provided by Interpol shows stuffed animals seized by custom officers in Argentina on Oct.6, 2023. (Interpol via AP)
Interpol stresses the links between environmental crime and other forms of crime, including violence, corruption, and financial crime.
WCO highlighted the critical role of customs in disrupting criminal networks through strict border controls, intelligence-sharing, and technological advancements.
WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya said this involves “enforcing strict controls at borders” to thwart traffickers and “intelligence-sharing, championing collaboration and adopting technological advancements” in customs operations.
Operation Thunder is an annual joint-operation coordinated by Interpol and the WCO, with the backing of intergovernmental organizations.
Nirand, who was driving a red and black Honda motorcycle with a red license plate, was hired to drive the Belgian woman to her residence.
PATTAYA – After one month of surveillance, Pattaya police have arrested a 51-year-old motorcycle taxi driver Nirand Meenadee for snatching the purse of Ms. Christiane, a Belgian national, at about 1:30 p.m. on November 11.
During the incident, Nirand, who was driving a red and black Honda motorcycle with a red license plate, was hired to drive Ms. Christiane to her residence in Nong Pru, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi. When he arrived and found no one there, Nirand snatched her bag, leaving Ms. Christiane with a long abrasion on her arm, which was also bleeding.
Pattaya police have arrested 51-year-old motorcycle taxi driver Nirand Meenadee on December 12, 2023.
Subsequently, the police, having identified Nirand, sought and obtained a court warrant for his arrest on November 29, 2023, for the charge of “robbery by using a vehicle for convenience in committing an offense and taking the property to escape arrest.”
On December 12, the police apprehended Nirand near his rented room on Chaiyapornvitee Road, Nong Pru, Bang Lamung, seizing the motorcycle used in the crime as evidence.
Nirand confessed to the crime, stating financial difficulties as the motive, and claimed it was his first offense, having committed it due to desperation and a lack of understanding of the consequences.
Referee Halil Umut Meler holds his face as he lies on the ground after being punched by MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca, center, at the end of the Turkish Super Lig soccer match between MKE Ankaragucu and Caykur Rizespor in Ankara, Monday, Dec. 11, 2023. (Abdurrahman Antakyali/Depo Photos via AP)
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The Turkish Football Federation has suspended all league games in the country after a club president punched the referee in the face at the end of a top-flight match.
MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca attacked referee Halil Umut Meler on the pitch late Monday after the final whistle, following a 1-1 draw in a Super Lig game against Caykur Rizespor.
The referee, who fell to the ground, was also kicked in a melee that occurred after fans also invaded the pitch after Rizespor scored a last-minute equalizer.
The federation announced it suspended all league games indefinitely after an emergency meeting held to discuss the violence.
Meler was hospitalized with a slight fracture near his eye but was not in a serious condition. He was expected to be discharged on Wednesday.
Koca, who was considered to be at risk of a heart attack, was also hospitalized overnight. He was ordered arrested pending trial on charges of injuring a public official after questioning by prosecutors, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Referee Halil Umut Meler is seen lying on the ground, right, after being punched by MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca, second from left. (Abdurrahman Antakyali/Depo Photos via AP)
Two suspects accused of kicking Meler were also arrested while three others were freed from custody on condition that they report regularly to police.
During his questioning, Koca denied causing any injury, insisting that he merely slapped the referee, according to HaberTurk television. The club president also blamed the incident on Meler, whom he accused of “wrongful decisions” and provocative acts, the station reported, citing unnamed judicial officials.
“This attack is unfortunate and shameful in the name of football,” federation chief Mehmet Buyukeksi said after the emergency meeting.
“We say enough is enough,” he added, insisting that all involved in the violence would be punished.
Buyukeksi also blamed the attack on a culture of contempt toward referees in Turkey.
“Everyone who has targeted referees and encouraged them to commit crimes is complicit in this despicable attack,” he said. “The irresponsible statements of club presidents, managers, coaches and television commentators targeting referees have opened the way for this attack.”
Speaking to reporters after visiting Meler in hospital, Buyukeksi said he hoped the incident would become a “milestone” for change for soccer in Turkey, which has been selected to co-host the 2032 European Championship with Italy.
Referee Halil Umut Meler, left, falls down after being punched by MKE Ankaragucu president Faruk Koca. Koca was arrested Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. (Abdurrahman Antakyali/Depo Photos via AP)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also condemned the attack.
“Sports means peace and brotherhood. The sport is incompatible with violence. We will never allow violence to take place in Turkish sports,” he wrote on X.
Violence in soccer is commonplace in Turkey and some other European countries despite efforts to crack down on it.
On Monday, Greece announced that all top-flight soccer matches would be played without fans in the stadiums for the next two months following a sport-related riot last week that left a police officer with life-threatening injuries.
Earlier this month, France’s sports minister called for “a global and extraordinarily determined to response” to violence in soccer after the death of a fan. Ameli Oudea-Castera said the measures could include routine bans on fans traveling to away matches that present a risk of violence.
The season in France has been plagued by homophobic and racist chanting in the stands while a team bus was pelted with stones and a game was called off because of crowd trouble.
In another recent incident, four British police officers were injured after heavy clashes with Polish hooligans from Legia Warsaw before a Europa Conference League game against Aston Villa on Nov. 30. Nearly 50 Polish fans were arrested after violence erupted outside the stadium.
