Crime
DSI raids Thai model agency, finds 500,000 photos and videos of child pornography

Around a half a million pornographic photos and videos of children allegedly from a Thai modelling agency were seized by officers from the Department of Special Investigation, or DSI. Officers raided the modelling agency, which is run from a home in a Pathum Thani neighbourhood, and arrested the owner of the agency.
Police say the home had a studio with camera equipment. Around 500,000 videos and photos of child pornography were found. The owner of the model agency faces charges of downloading pornographic material for dissemination, sexually abusing minors under 13, sexual assault and separating minors from their parents for sexual purposes. It’s unclear how many children were exploited.
The Australian Federal Police first reported a child pornography photo to Thai authorities, prompting a national investigation. The organisation Operation Underground Railroad, which is based in California, provided technical support during the investigation.
DSI director general Korawat Parnpraphakorn is advising parents to verify that a modelling agency is reputable before allowing their children to take photos and videos alone with a photographer.
Just last month, an owner of a modelling company in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district was arrested on child pornography charges.
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Crime
Funeral shooting adds to Thailand’s trend of politically-motivated violence

Last week, a mayoral candidate was shot and killed and 6 others were wounded, including 3 people who were running in local elections and a local kamnan, a government official of a tambon, or sub district. Police say they believe the shooting was politically motivated. Violence related to local politics has been a trend in Thailand over the past few decades.
The gunman, who police suspect is Wanchart Niamraksa, a member of the local provincial administration organisation, opened fire at a temple in Ratchaburi, a province west of Bangkok near the Myanmar border. Witnesses say the gunman fired shots from behind a Buddha image, shooting Yingpan Kanket, the kamnan of tambon Don Sai, was lighting candles and incense sticks to start the funeral. Yingpan is now in critical condition.
Varaporn Niamraksa, who was running for mayor in the March 28 municipal election, was shot and later died at the hospital. Wanchart’s wife was Varaporn’s main competitor in the mayoral election. He’s also Varaporn’s brother-in-law. Wanchart has since surrendered to police.
The gunman shot and wounded 5 others, including 3 who are all running for the municipal council of tambon Don Sai. Police say they plan to charge Wanchart with murder, attempted murder, illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and carrying them in public.
While the story was covered in Thai media, it wasn’t a major headline, according to a Thai reporter. He says there’s been a pattern of politically motivated violence in Thailand. Just this past January, police arrested a man for allegedly planning to kill a local election candidate in the southern province Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Local politics in Thailand were described as “bloody” after the passing of the 1997 Constitution, leading to what the media calls a “decade of decentralisation.”
More than 362 local politicians were murdered between 2000 and 2009, according to date reported by Thai media. There were around 100 other murder attempts on local politicians. Around 73% of the victims who were either killed or wounded were sub district administration organisation representatives. Most were shot.
The majority of cases were in Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala and Songkhla, province’s in Thailand’s deep south near the Malaysian border, plagued with violence for decades due to the religious separatist insurgency.
In recent years, there’s also been a number of reports involving violence among local politicians in Thailand. In 2019, an MP for the Isaan province Khon Kaen was sentenced to death for hiring 2 former police officers to kill the assistant chief of the Khon Kaen provincial administration.
SOURCES: Kyoto Review | Bangkok Post| Chiang Rai Times| Post Today
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Crime
2 Phuket Town nightclubs shut down after allegedly violating multiple laws

2 Phuket Town nightclubs are shutting down after allegedly violating multiple laws. The Maldives and H20 on Lim Sui Ju Road, on the south end of Phuket Town were ordered by the Phuket Governor to close immediately, with the Maldives being orderd to close for 5 years.
The order comes after the Phuket City Police inspected the Maldives club, arresting the manager for operating an entertainment venue without a permit, allowing people under 20 years old to work or “use services in the venue,” and for selling alcohol without a permit.
Governor Narong cited his authority under Section 4 of NCPO order 22/2558 to order the Maldives nightclub to be closed for 5 years, from March 5, 2021 to March 4, 2026.
The order also prohibits the operators from opening any other entertainment venues during the same period. The H20 nightclub was ordered to close by a provincial order after Phuket City Police say they inspected the venue and charged the operator for selling or providing shisha, or baraku, without permission.
The owner was also accused of operating an entertainment venue without a permit and violating the provincial order for enforcing Covid-19 safety measures. But it is unknown what penalties were handed down to the operator of the H20 nightclub, unlike the Maldives operator, who received a penalty.
Instead, the governor cited the Revolution Council announcement of 1959, to shut down the establishment for 30 days from March 5, 2021 to April 3, 2021. The orders noted that both operators of the clubs have the right to appeal the closures, having 15 days to file an appeal directly with the Phuket Governor.
Meanwhile, Phuket is set to open its doors to vaccinated, international tourists by October, pending the government’s approval. The local government’s initiative, named Phuket First October, proposes vaccinating a majority of its population over 18 years of age in time for the high season.
The move would allow thousands of vaccinated Europeans to enter Thailand, while locals would be protected from the virus symptoms.
SOURCE: The Phuket News
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Crime
Cambodian dog slaughterhouse shut down, owner says he is “ashamed”

After increasing calls to end the dog meat trade, a Cambodian slaughterhouse is shutting down, with its owner saying he is “ashamed.” Ouk Mol, the owner, says the dog slaughterhouse has killed more than a million dogs since opening in 1995.
According to Four Paws animal rights group, Cambodia slaughters between 2 to 3 million dogs per year, while offering the cheap meal of protein at more than 100 dog meat restaurants in Phnom Penh, its capital.
Mol’s slaughterhouse is responsible for all the supply to Phnom Penh, but he says he will no longer be killing dogs, citing increasing pressure from animal rights groups and civilians alike. The 50 year old former soldier says he feels ashamed.
“But I want to quit the business because I am getting old and a lot of people have criticised me about the dog meat trade.”
The operator was offered financial support from Four Paws to open a grocery store if they shut down their slaughterhouse with Ouk Mol’s wife, Sao Phally, saying she is glad they have found a way out of the business.
“We were always worried about sin because of our killing. People looked at us in a bad way.”
The slaughterhouse, which uses vats to drown the dogs, and blowtorches to remove their fur, slaughtered up to 200 dogs per day. Now, as of yesterday, the company has shut down, with the remainder of dogs being sent to animal charities for rehabilitation and placed for international adoption.
Phnom Penh is the 2nd city in Cambodia to follow increasing calls to close the dog meat trade, as Siem Reap banned the trade last year in a victory for animal rights groups. Until 2020, Siem Reap, Cambodia’s largest tourist city, was known by rights groups as the “lynchpin” of the trade.
Despite Cambodia’s efforts to begin closing down its dog meat trade, it is not the only Asian country that features dog meat as a cuisine. Consuming dog meat in Vietnam is more popular than in Cambodia, which shows the industry has a long way to go with regards to respecting animal rights.
SOURCE: Thai PBS World
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Ian
Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 3:31 pm
At last the thai police do some good they need to lock them up for life ffs children under 13 so sick the scum
Kim
Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 4:03 pm
These sicko’s should be castrated without anesthetic and endure the same kind of assault they have forced upon these children!
Craig
Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 4:49 pm
Shocking. Another money making opportunity here.
Issan John
Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 4:54 pm
Normally I’ve got zero support for Operation Underground Railroad as a bunch of self-serving opportunists, but in this case they might have done some good.
Parents should also be held to account if they don’t know exactly what sort of “modelling” their children are doing.
Karen
Friday, February 12, 2021 at 7:57 pm
Do you really believe that every child who`s asked what sort of modelling they are doing will tell the truth ??? Of course they won`t and these perverted and greedy individuals will be very good at manipulating, bribing them with cheap gifts or sweets, or even threatening them.
If parents really want to be sure they should go with their children so they can SEE what is happening !!
Jim kelly
Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 8:44 pm
Was Gary Glitter there??!!
James R
Friday, February 12, 2021 at 12:17 am
Jim
No he is still in prison in the UK.
But he has already had his free Covid vaccine, the rest of us in the UK have to wait our turn.
Baroness
Friday, February 12, 2021 at 1:05 am
Like in Canada, inmates are first in line for the vaccination because “they are under the responsibility of the government”. Which means that the rest of the population is nothing more than “chicken liver”. Pay taxes and die.
Sense OfHumor
Friday, February 12, 2021 at 1:27 am
I didnt know Boe Jiden owned a home in Pathum Thani?
Michael
Friday, February 12, 2021 at 8:44 am
No, that was Donald “Grab them by the pussy” Trump.
James Pate
Friday, February 12, 2021 at 6:07 am
Heartbreaking and horrible!
Toby Andrews
Friday, February 12, 2021 at 12:03 pm
Another example of Thai morality. There seems no vileness they will not sink to . . .
Honest Al
Friday, February 12, 2021 at 5:00 pm
A bit harsh Toby! These low life immoral scumbags exist all over the world not just Thailand and well done to those responsible for shutting them down. Let’s hope long and painful jail-time follows
Karen
Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 5:55 am
l agree completely, it`s disgusting the lengths these pervs go to but just singling out Thais is wrong as unfortunately it does happen everywhere.
toby_james
Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 2:08 am
30 years ago you could have made a dating website out of this in Thailand and its just so wrong.
Jim kelly
Sunday, February 14, 2021 at 9:35 pm
I WONDER WHY BILL WYMAN WAS NEVER CONVICTED OF HAVING SEX WITH MANDY SMITH WHEN SHE WAS 15 YEARS OLD?! Puzzling.