Thailand – 13 Children Victims of LATEST Bus Crash

Via: City News – Chiang Mai

A bus crash in Prachinburi Province during early hours of Friday, 28^th February, has injured 55 people and KILLED at least 15, 13 of whom were schoolchildren between the ages of 10 and 14 years old.

The double-decker bus was carrying around 60 schoolchildren from Nakhon Ratchasima to Pattaya for a seaside holiday when it collided with an 18-wheeler truck in front of it on a downward-sloping road (damned hills!). The bus then slammed into a nearby tree from the force of the crash.

Authorities speculate that the driver (who fled the scene and is still being searched for) must have fallen asleep, or the bus’s brakes might have failed.  Or,  . . .

http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=3348

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Thailand – Attack On Anti-Government Protesters Turns Deadly

Via: Huffington Post

Gunmen in a pickup truck attacked an anti-government protest in eastern Thailand, killing a child and wounding dozens of other people, as violence in the country’s 3-month-old political crisis spread outside the capital, officials said Sunday.

The attack took place Saturday night in Trat province, where about 500 protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra were holding a rally near food stalls where people were dining. Trat is about 300 kilometers (180 miles) east of the capital, Bangkok.

The attack was the latest in a string of protest-related violent incidents roiling Thailand over the past three months, in which at least 16 people have been killed and hundreds hurt. The protesters want Yingluck to quit to make way for an appointed interim government to implement anti-corruption reforms, but she has refused.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/23/bangkok-protests-thailand-attack_n_4843104.html

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Pattaya – Russian Mafia Suspect Arrested (See Photo)

Pol.Col. Sutthichai Lo-kanphai (Deputy Commander), Pol.Col. Chaiyos Warakjunkiet (Superintendent), Pol.Lt.Col. Ratthaphong Tia-sood (Deputy Superintendent) together with forces of Immigration police ,Chonburi province, made a statement about the arrest of a  Dmitry Ishmukhametov (alias), aged 41, Russian nationality, who is a defendant according to a Russia arrest warrant in the allegation of extortion..

Pol.Col. Sutthichai revealed that previously Chonburi Immigration police had been contacted by the Russia embassy to arrest Mr. Dmitry who had fled Russia because of the allegations of extortion that were bought against him. He also took approximately 1 million Ruble and came to hide in Thailand. Immigration found out that he was the owner of Anastasia International Co., Ltd. which is located in Soi 5, Thepprasit road, south Pattaya, so Pol.Co. Sutthichai and the immigration police team to arrest him..

Initially, Mr. Dmitry confessed to all allegations and then the immigration police sent him to the investigation officer of Pattaya city police station and will repatriate him back to Russia so he can be prosecuted further according to the Russian law.

http://www.pattayadailynews.com/pattaya-news/2014/02/21/russian-mafia-suspect-arrested-in-pattaya-city/

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Thailand – Investments Dwindle Due to Political Problems

Via: City News – Chiang Mai

‘Teflon’ Thailand is well known as one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia, but that growth seems to be slowing down now that the country has been plagued with protests which have been aired in an international arena SINCE November 2013.

Reports show that the economy has grown in the last quarter at the slowest pace in almost two years, which is mostly due to the declining tourism and lack of local demand caused by the political unrest.

Foreign investors are believed to be shying away from the Kingdom as well – foreign direct investment reached almost 13 billion US Dollars in 2013, but is estimated to drop to less than 8 billion in 2014. Thailand has managed to stand out in Southeast Asia to investors due to its large market of 70 million people, a strong and growing middle class, a pro-business attitude, sufficient supported infrastructure and numerous geographical advantages.

However, investors are now looking at other emerging markets, such as Indonesia, whose population is currently 246 million people. While Thailand will still remain a good place for long-term investment, new investors might be put off by the country’s current political woes.

Thailand’s state planning agency announced the GDP growth forecast for 2014 was cut to 3% – 4% while it used to be in the range of 4% – 5% before the political strife.

http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=3282

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Phuket – Italian expat caught with ya ice, ya ba, and weed in hotel room

Italian expat Fabio (See Photo) Milan, 35, was caught with crystal methamphetamine, one methamphetamine pill and marijuana in a hotel room in Patong on Monday (February 17) around 5.30pm.

Milan was staying at a hotel on Pisitkoranee Road, Patong, when around SEVEN Kathu police officers raided the place after a tip off.

Inside the hotel room they found a stunned (Stunned, I’d say!) Milan, who was shocked (Shocked, I’d say!) to see the police but didn’t put up a fight. Police found eight bags of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) weighing a total of 8.52 grams, 6.97 grams of marijuana and one ya ba (methamphetamine) pill.

Kathu Police Captain Sinchai Thawanpiyayo told The Phuket News, “Ya ice is the type of drug that we find is most common in the Patong area. It’s a big problem here. Other types of drugs are not as popular as ya ice.”

Police charged Milan with possession of crystal methamphetamine and marijuana with intent to sell, and possession of ya ba.

http://www.thephuketnews.com/italian-expat-caught-with-ya-ice-ya-ba-and-weed-in-phuket-hotel-room-44697.php#sthash.noDEupan.jamCUakI.dpuf

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Chiang Mai – Heroic Girl Hurdles Shop Counter and Takes Down Thief

Via: City News – Chiang Mai

And, THEN:

On February 12^th, a man pretending to be a customer in a mobile phone shop was caught on video running off with a phone. Only an instant later an athletic female shopkeeper jumps over the display cabinet, and takes the would-be thief down to recover the phone. The perpetrator then got away.

 If you think you know the face, contact 089 177 0528.

The YouTube clip can be found here.

http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=3252

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Phuket – Ukranian Fakes Deafness to Scam Public

A 30-year-old Ukrainian man named Mykola Chornyi has been arrested by the Phuket Tourist Police after it was discovered he had been pretending to be handicapped to solicit donations from the public.

The man was caught on camera by people dining at a food court in Central Festival Phuket Mall who sent the video to the police. The video shows the scammer placing cards on people’s tables which said that he was deaf and asking for donations, along with Angry Birds keychains which were for sale for 100 baht ($3.00 USD) each. The Phuket Tourist Police then sent a team to Central Festival the same day and arrested Mykola outside Swensen’s at 6:30 p.m.

Police charged him with “GENERAL NUISANCE” and refusing to produce his passport, which he said he had left at a car rental shop. There is a possibility he might face fraud-related charges if the police investigation turns up any more suspicious activity. Because Mykola’s money-making outfit is not a registered charity in Thailand, he is technically begging (yeah, you think?), which is illegal.

The police had previously been sent photos and videos of foreigners carrying out the same scam in other areas of Phuket in December. In the photo and video evidence, a female foreigner can be seen doing it in Swensen’s at Kata Beach, while a male foreigner was doing it at a restaurant at Patong Beach. The two suspects have yet to be arrested.

http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=3239

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Chiang Mai – Chinese Tourists (See Photo) Behaviour Upsetting The Local People

Via: Pattaya Daily News

From the popularity of famous Chinese film, Lost in Thailand, lots of  Chinese tourists have descended on  Chiang mai.. However, recently there have been many complaints about the inappropriate behaviour of some groups of Chinese tourists  who visited  Chiang mai university and did not pay respect to the place. They also invaded and damaged government property and trespassed on overnight camping sites  at Ang Kaew, and writing Chinese messages on the concrete floor near Angkaeo. Recently, the University has told all tourists that want to go onto  the campus that they have to show their passport, ID cards, and redeem tickets to the  University for the tidiness .

The total number of complaints  reached 2,220 between  February, 4-10, with 80% of the complaints about Chinese  tourists posing a nuisance to the community , such as making noise, overtaking the cue, pushing other people, smoking in prohibited areas, spitting on the floor, causing disorder by not respecting the rules and regulations of the attractions ,including public Government , even in universities.

On websites  there has been  a lot of criticism of Chinese behaviour such as getting naked and taking a bath in a fountain in front of a famous mall in the central of Chiangmai,

– talking too loud everywhere

– riding motorcycles dangerously

– parking cars anywhere they wanted

– using toilets but not cleaning it afterwards , even in public not just in hotels.

http://www.pattayadailynews.com/pattaya-news/2014/02/16/chinese-tourists-behaviour-upsetting-the-local-people-in-chiangmai/

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Thailand – Russian Male Tour Guide Falls To His Death From 3rd Floor Balcony

TRAT – February 13, 2014 [PDN]; at 8.30 a.m. Pol.Capt. Banjerd Krajarngsaeng (Investigation officer of Koh Chang police station, Amphur Koh Chang, Trat province) was notified that there was a male foreign tourist who had fallen from a 3rd floor balcony of room no. 305 at the  Anchaleena Beach Front hotel (Koh Chang Grand Laguna), Ban Khlong Kloy, Moo 1 Tambon South Koh Chang, Amphur Koh Chang, Trat province so he rushed to inspect at scene together with the tourism police 6 (Trat) and the volunteer officers of Boon Chuay Luea Association of Trat province. At the incident the officers  found the corpse of Mr. Ree On, aged 27, Russian nationality, who was a tour guide .

He was naked in a pool of blood and had suffered a fractured skull and a broken neck. (Man, I bet that hurt!)

The officers went to inspect room no. 305 on the 3rd floor and found  Miss Yuria Zuvar, aged 24, who is a Russian tour guide of Orcandit Tour Co., Ltd. in the area of Pattaya city, Chonburi province, but she could not communicate with the officers as she could not speak English so the officers had to let the interpreter  translate for them. Miss Yuria claimed that she didn’t know anything about this incident and didn’t give any information to the police.  (SEE PHOTO)

Upon inspecting in Miss Yuria’s room the officers found traces of fighting. The furniture and objects in the room were dispersed all over floor and the glass window was broken with a hole about the size of the deceased.

The officers assumed that before incident occurred they might have been fighting which ended in Mr Ree  falling through the window where he fell to his death.

Upon questioning the hotel staff the police perceived that Mr. Ree On was a tour guide of Discover Tour Co., Ltd. and brought tourists form Pattaya and stayed at room no. 318. The hotel staff also told the police that some  Russian tourists in the tour group told the staff  that they saw Mr. Ree On going into room no. 305 late at night on February 12, 2014 which was the room of Miss Yuria Zuvar (the female Russian tour guide) then  in the morning  they were told he was dead. Initially, the police of Koh Chang police station had coordinated with the officers of Forensic Police Division to come to collect all the evidence at scene and will inform the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Thailand about the incident.

http://www.pattayadailynews.com/pattaya-news/2014/02/14/russian-male-tour-guide-falls-to-his-death-from-3rd-floor-balcony/

HAPPY HOLIDAY!

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Thailand – Monk and boy, 9, among four killed in attacks

Via: South China Morning Post

Suspected Muslim rebels in southern Thailand killed four people, including a nine-year-old boy, on Thursday, police said, adding the attack have been in reprisal for the killing of some Muslim boys.

Thailand is a mainly Buddhist country, but the three southern provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat are majority-Muslim and resistance to central government rule has existed there for decades, resurfacing violently in 2004.

Four rebels riding two motorcycles opened fire on villagers giving alms to Buddhist monks in Mae Lan district of Pattani province, killing two women, a Buddhist monk and the boy, police said. Seven other people were injured.

“This was a revenge attack,” Pattani chief of police Phot Suaysuwan said. “We believe there is a link between the killing of Buddhists this week and the murder of three Muslim boys last week.”

Q: what about next week?

http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1427045/monk-and-boy-9-among-four-killed-attacks-thailands-restive-south 

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