Brit tourist in Phuket dies in soaked power surge

Not many tourists in evidence at the popular shopping mall on
Soi Bangla today.

The outdoor power socket.

PHUKET: — A young British tourist died in Patong early this morning after he accidentally placed his hand on an outdoor, floor-mounted power socket covered with water.

The 20-year-old man, whose name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, was sitting in the undercover forecourt of the Ocean Plaza Patong [shopping mall] on Soi Bangla at about 6am when the incident happened.

“He was sitting with his male traveling companion and a group of Thai people,” said one officer who arrived at the scene.

“He was waving his hand around while talking and accidentally placed it on top of a power socket covered by a metal plate. There was a lot of water on the floor from the rain and he was electrocuted,” the officer said.

A Thai woman [in the group] tried to pull him away from the power socket, but she received a shock and could not pull herself away.

Then a Thai man tried to help, and he too suffered an electric shock and could not free himself.

“Another Thai guy saw this and kicked the Thai man away from the others. Then they used a wooden stick to push the Thai girl away,” the officer said.

The Thai man and woman were not seriously injured.

The British tourist’s friend suffered an electric shock when he tried to help.

He is now recovering at Wachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town.

“Although his physical injuries are not serious, he is suffering from the emotional shock of losing his friend,” a hospital worker told the Phuket Gazette.

A masseuse who works in the Ocean Plaza forecourt said today that she had heard about the incident, but was not aware that the man had died.

“We knew about the power socket, but we didn’t know that it could be so dangerous. Some of us used to walk barefoot around here, but now we all wear rubber soles all the time,” she said.

– Phuket Gazette 2011-09-25

MP’s gambling-dens charge prompts crackdown
By The Nation

Action has been taken against two senior Bangkok police officers and three other policemen after allegations in Parliament this week of widespread illegal gambling.

Metropolitan Police commissioner Lt-General Jakthip Chaijinda yesterday transferred Metropolitan Police Division 2 commander Maj-General Damrongsak Kittiprapat and Sutthisan superintendent Colonel Paisal Wongwatcharamongkol to inactive posts at Metropolitan Police Headquarters.

The move took place after Chuwit Kamolvisit, leader of the Loving Thailand Party, revealed a gambling-den operation in Bangkok’s police jurisdiction with the initial “Sor” during Tuesday’s Parliament session, and later commented further on other gambling dens in the Ratchadaphisek area.

Besides the two officers, three other policemen at Sutthisan police station were transferred to inactive posts, police spokesman Pol Maj-General Prawut Thawornsiri said yesterday. Chaktip ordered their immediate transfer to Metropolitan Police Headquarters for 30 days pending investigation, he said.

Meanwhile, Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission secretary-general Ampol Wongsiri said PACC investigations had uncovered other gambling activities similar to those alleged by Chuwit. It found a major gambling den in Soi Ratchadaphisek 18 belonging to the same owner as another den on Rama IX Road, while smaller dens operated in Lat Phrao apartments.

He said most nightclubs had drug-selling activities in their toilets as Chuwit had claimed.

A source at PACC said the agency had received complaints about a large gambling den that Chuwit claimed had senior police as shareholders and was operated openly and with immunity to police raids. The PACC too had ignored the den’s activities because it was said to have connections with high-status figures, the source said.

The PACC investigation found that Bangkok gambling dens had been told to close temporarily before the July 3 election so that customers would turn to those in a neighbouring country – especially those with Thai politicians as shareholders who wanted to get money for vote-buying.

National police chief Pol General Wichian Pojphosri said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had ordered police to crack down on the gambling dens mentioned by Chuwit. He had set up a committee to investigate why local police had not been able to locate gambling dens and if police were involved in them. Wichian said he would personally follow the action against these law-violating nightclubs and gambling dens.

Wichian held a videoconference yesterday with regional police headquarters and ordered them to take strict action against illegal casinos and other gaming outlets, as well as stepping up drug suppression.

Police Inspector-General Sathaporn Laothong, chairing the committee to investigate the gambling-den video clip presented by Chuwit, said he would get information from a number of parties including the MP. The committee would check whether there were gambling dens as claimed and whether police had neglected or benefited from them, he said.

It would summon the Sutthisan superintendent and police officers at Metropolitan Police Division 2, as the committee was expected to report back to the national police chief in seven days. Sathaporn also prepared to obtain a search warrant for the Ratchadaphisek gambling den and he would inspect it himself today.

Jakthip said he was not worried or disheartened about the setting up of a committee to probe gambling activities, despite his previous report that there was no such gambling in Bangkok. He said the committee was established according to procedure and the supervisor’s authority.

He said he had done the best he could and instructed Bangkok police to crack down on vice all along. If it was deemed a fault in the performance of his duty, he was willing to take responsibility.

– The Nation 2011-08-26

Tobacco firms targeting women, youngsters
By Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation

Tobacco manufacturers are now targeting women and children by creating innovative products like sweetened or lipstick cigarettes, a conference was told yesterday.

Some companies have even called on wellknown fashion designers to create new packaging, Srirach Lapyai of Rangsit University said yesterday.

“Some tobacco companies have even launched limitededition products to encourage consumers to start collecting the items,” she said.

She was speaking at the 10th Annual National Conference on Health and Tobacco organised by Tobacco Control Research and Knowledge Management Centre.

Srirach added that different flavours, such as green tea, are being added to cigarettes to match changing lifestyles, while some are selling their products online.

“In fact, some sellers arrange to meet their customer at a BTS station so they can personally deliver their products,” she explained.

In addition, there are video clips available on websites like YouTube where customers are taught how to use products such as the hookah, while some companies produce games and smartphone applications to boost brand loyalty.

Most tobacco products with attractive packaging are imported from neighbouring countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, and are available everywhere.

Wikul Wisansest of the Health Department said tobacco manufacturers had also developed products that are easier to smoke, including cigarettes that do not need to be lit or those that dissolve in the mouth. However, there are no regulations to control the sale of products like electronic cigarettes in Thailand.

According to the Public Health Ministry, the number of people who have died from smoking has increased from 41,183 in 2004 to 48,244 in 2009, and about 11 million teenagers have picked up the habit.

– The Nation 2011-08-27

MURDER IN PHITSANULOK
Unidentified foreigner found dead in Phitsanulok
By The Nation on Sunday

A foreigner was found dead yesterday in a canal in Phitsanulok’s Bang Rakam district.

Police believe the man – whose nationality remained unknown – was murdered. The victim’s head was covered with a plastic bag fastened by sticky tape. The tape also covered his eyes and mouth. He had fair skin and blonde hair and wore a red-and-white shirt with a wide striped pattern and grey shorts.

Police said rescue workers told them they had often seen the man driving a motorcycle. They said he liked drinking alcohol and could speak Thai.

His body was sent to Bang Rakam Hospital for inspection. If an autopsy is needed, the body will be sent to the forensic department of the Buddha Chinaraj Hospital, police said.

Police said they were attempting to determine the man’s identity and searching for the murderer.

– The Nation 2011-08-28

Japan ‘plans to allow visit’ by ex-Thai PM Thaksin

TOKYO, August 13, 2011 (AFP) – Japan plans to issue a special entry permit to former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who has been in exile following a military coup in 2006, a report said Friday.

The new Thai government of Yingluck Shinawatra, a younger sister of Thaksin, who took office on Monday, has requested the permit from Tokyo, Kyodo news agency reported, quoting Japanese government sources.

Thaksin, who served as Thai prime minister between 2001 and 2006 before being deposed in the coup, has been living in exile in Dubai to escape a two-year jail term from a corruption conviction.

Thaksin hopes to visit Japan August 22-28 with the main purpose of touring northeastern areas devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, Kyodo said.

Japan does not allow the entry of anyone who has been found guilty of a crime and given a jail term of more than one year but the justice minister can make exceptions.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told a news conference earlier in the day that Tokyo had received a request from Thaksin for the issuance of an entry permit.

“We must have thorough discussions with the Thai government on this matter,” the top government spokesman said.

– ©Copyright AFP 2011-08-13 | AFP News Sponsor
Published with written approval from AFP.

Free tablets could well be a masterstroke
By The Nation

Despite being a populist policy, it may be a winner if implemented well

The Yingluck Shinawatra government may have hit its first strike. That is, if its plan to digitise textbooks and put them on the free tablet computers for schoolchildren is carried out effectively. The idea is supposed to embrace the fast-developing technology that is transforming the way students are “reading”, and is not just aimed at underprivileged Thai kids. Obviously, this project is way better than purchasing new weapons and certainly not as controversial as the pledge to increase the daily minimum wage to Bt300.

According to Education Minister Woravat Auapinyakul, each tablet computer will cost no more than Bt3,000 and its life span will range between three and four years. So far, the government has already allocated about Bt600 and Bt700 a year per student for free textbooks. These figures suggest that investing in tablet computers would be worthy.

As everybody knows, most if not all tablet computers can function as an e-reader. Although a lot of students are already using free textbooks, having them all in one tablet will make things considerably more convenient. This way, the children will be able to carry “all their books” with them “all the time” in one small, thin and light device. They will be able to read more – not just textbooks, but other books as well. And any generation that reads more will grow up to be smarter than a generation that has read less. It’s as simple as that.

E-readers and their content have made a sluggish start in Thailand. There are many factors contributing to that. Problems related to competing formats among manufacturers of e-readers have slowed down market penetration here – a situation that is delaying the awaited boom in e-content.

Since tablets require good Wi-Fi and wireless connections to appeal to users, the domestic telecom problem is another factor that has added to the slow progress of e-reading culture here. Content producers, meanwhile, have been struggling to find the right formula, though it has been clear that producing e-content is far cheaper than printing books.

Children can make changes take place more quickly. So, allowing children to lead the trend can help the overall e-reading culture. Entrepreneurs reluctant to give up on the printers that they invested so heavily on will be paying more attention to this new side of their business. Ironically, content change is taking place faster in the broadcast industry, thanks to the fast improving device that we call the television. Hopefully, the same can occur in the “printing” industry, where key players are at best grappling with experimental production of e-reading content.

There are justified concerns that the children will use their free tablets to play games and that reading will be the last thing on their agenda. Putting textbooks in the tablets, however, will at least partially address this concern. The youngsters will be using these devices in classrooms to begin with, and we can start from there. After all, the convenience of e-readers is said to help kindle the love for reading.

Attention should also be paid to specifications. Tablets still have the problem of “glare”, and since the touch-screen technology is still at fledging stage, the tablets would require additional layers of film. Good e-reading applications on tablets may help ease the problem a bit, but the government must make sure it does not opt for low costs at the expense of children’s eyesight. This is not a small issue, as it can turn children on or off the idea of reading.

Rightly or wrongly, the exiled ex-PM Thaksin was known for his populist policies, like the one in which desktop computers were given to rural schools but ended up gathering dust due to the lack of knowledgeable personnel. Tablets, though, could be different, as long as textbooks are put on them. As long as real benefits can be reaped from a project that is carried out under a reasonable budget, it will not be described as “populist”. Though the policy has its doubters, good budget management and effective implementation might make it a masterstroke for the Yingluck government.

– The Nation 2011-08-13

Warrant Sought in Connection With Kirsty Jones Murder In Chiang Mai
Published by Andrew Drummond
BBC Wales

Thai police investigating the murder of Kirsty Jones will have to seek a warrant to forcefully carry out a DNA test on a Chiang Mai University professor after the academic refused to supply a sample voluntarily.

Police sources here confirmed yesterday that the request made by Dyfed-Powys Police in Britain had been rebuffed by the professor after he was approached by Thailand’s Department of Special investigating of the murder and rape of Kirsty, 24, in Chiang Mai in August 2000.

They stressed that this could not be in any way considered an admission of guilt. The sample was required to rule the professor out of the enquiry. The professor had strongly denied having anything to do with Kirsty. To secure DNA sample they would now have to go through legal channels.

It is understood the DSI are fearful they may be sued if they take any shortcuts, as the professor is a respected member of the community.

Nevertheless the refusal is another set -back for the investigation into the murder and rape of Kirsty Jones which happened 11 years ago this month in Chiang Mai in £3 a night lodgings then known as the Aree Guest House.

It is also distressing to Kirsty Jones’ family, from Tredomen, Brecon, who were hoping the matter would be dealt with quickly.

Police in Chiang Mai, the Thai northern capital, were heavily criticised at the time for their bungling of the case. At the time they did not appear to be so concerned about short cuts. They arrested the British guest house owner Andrew Gill, 32, but released him after his DNA did not match the killer’s, who must have [more...]

Full story: http://www.andrew-dr…ory.php?sid=428

– andrew-drummond.com 2011-08-13

Dogs saved from dinner tables, but still in danger
By NAKHON PHANOM
THE NATION

The lives of almost 2,000 dogs have been saved just in time, before they were to be transported to a neighbouring country to be cooked and eaten.

But although they have been saved from dog-trader gangs, no one can guarantee they will be safe and survive in their crowded cages while a shortage of food threatens their lives.

Some of the animals were reported dead or injured. The rest are at Nakhon Phanom Animal Quarantine Station.

They looked exhausted after they were moved from the small cages to be put in the station’s only big cage. But that cage, which has a maximum capacity of 500 dogs, now has to house 1,800. They have inadequate food and water, as the station does not have the budget to feed such a huge crowd of dogs.

Nakhon Phanom Governor Rerngsak Mahawinijchaimontree said his team cooperated with animal-control staff and police to arrest the gangs on Thursday night.

He said they arrested Montree Thanklang, 45, a Nakhon Phanom resident, and Pan Hai, 30, a Vietnamese, while they were in a truck containing 600 dogs passing through the province’s Na Thom district. Four other trucks containing 1,200 dogs were seized while they travelled through Si Songkhram district, where police arrested Noppadon Chaiwangrot, 40, a Sakon Nakhon resident.

Rerngsak said police were told that Noppadon had earlier released 600 other dogs into a forest.

“Police believe all the dogs would have been transferred to a ship waiting in Ban Phaeng district of Nakhon Phanom before going across the Mekong River to be sold in Vietnam, where lots of dogs are ordered to be cooked as famous exotic dishes.”

He said police pressed charges against the suspect under the Animal Epidemic Act 1956 that prohibits relocating animals to zones at risk of epidemics without permission.

Previously, the province’s authorities raided a place that housed dogs before they were traded in Na Wa district in June.

Reportedly dogs price can bring prices of Bt500-Bt1,000. Most dog traders have been reported from Tha Rae district in Sakon Nakhon. They travel to villages to barter goods, especially plastic buckets – each bucket costs only Bt50-Bt100.

The Animal Guardians Association has urged Rerngsak to seek better ways to help them.

To help the dogs in terms of donations, adoption or providing them shelter, people can contact the governor, the quarantine station or the association.

– The Nation 2011-08-13

Dept wants to build five motorways
By Watcharapong Thongrung
The Nation

The Highways Department will propose to the new government the construction of five motorways at a cost of Bt180 billion.

The department’s director-general Veera Ruengsooksriwong said yesterday that the new inter-provincial motorways would cover a distance of 700 kilometres.

Initially the target completion date was 2017, but given the heavy investment required, that target has been adjusted to 2021.

According to a study by the department, the investment could be made through three options: public-private partnerships (PPPs), the department’s existing fund financed by tolls on Route 7 from Bangkok to Chon Buri and the Eastern Outer Ring Road, or a new infrastructure fund.

Veera said the first of the planned five new motorways would run from Bang Pa-in to Nakhon Ratchasima via Saraburi, which should be funded on a PPP basis at a cost of Bt60 billion.

The department has studied the pros and cons of the plan before submitting it for the Transport Ministry’s consideration and then Cabinet approval. If the project is given the nod, it can be used as the investment model for other routes.

The Bang Pa-in-Ratchasima route is the one most ready for investment in terms of the details of the construction plan, land expropriation, and the environmental impact study.

Veera said that according to the department’s preliminary study regarding investment on the first route, the government had three options, investing either 20, 30 or 40 per cent of the cost of construction and land expropriation. The most feasible option is the second one, and granting a 45-year concession to the private operator.

The four other proposed routes are Chon Buri-Pattaya-Map Ta Phut; Bang Yai-Nakhon Pathom-Kanchanaburi; Nakhon Pathom-Samut Songkhram-Cha-am; and Bang Pa-in-Nakhon Sawan.

In 1997, the Cabinet approved the department’s 20-year master plan to construct 13 inter-provincial highways totalling 4,150 kilometres and with nationwide coverage. However, only two routes were constructed – Bangkok-Chon Buri and the Outer Ring Road.

The department held a public hearing on the inter-provincial highways yesterday and the findings will be used to adjust the project’s master plan and development plan.

– The Nation 2011-08-05

Overusing cellphones may cause cancer
By The Nation

After the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a warning that people who used mobile phones too much could face the risk of brain tumour, the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Institute (TCPI) said yesterday that Thais faced an even bigger risk because they slept with their cellphone placed near the headboard.

TCPI director Prawit Leesathapornwongsa said the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer study that cellphones had a “2B” classification, or that they could cause cancer. He said the study also found that people using their mobile phones for more than 1,640 hours faced a greater risk of developing glioma brain cancer. Those using a bluetooth hands-free device were 100 times less exposed to electromagnetic waves, while those using headphones faced 10 per cent less risk, he said. He also warned that these devices should not stuck in the ear while not being used. In addition, 3G phones are said to release 100 times less radioactive energy than the GSM phones, he added.

Prawit said a poll conducted in February found that Thai users were more exposed to radiation from cellphones because 64.5 per cent placed them at the top of their bed while sleeping, and 41.6 per cent carried their phone in their pocket. He urged people to keep their mobile phones away from them when they are not in use.

– The Nation 2011-08-04