Chiang Mai

Out of town ‘monk’ assaults and kills another monk at a Chiang Mai temple

Published

4 weeks ago

March 28, 2019

The Thaiger

PHOTOS: MThai.com

Chiang Mai police were called to the Ku Kham Temple in Mae Ping after witnesses claim they saw a roving monk beat another man to death, apparently another monk. Both were, according to the temple monks, from out of town.

Sanook reports that 55 year old Phra Wichian was allegedly seen viciously punching and kicking the other man, around 40 years old.

Witnesses say that when the man was still lying lifeless on the ground, the monk kept kicking him. Then, according to their statements, he walked out of the temple murmuring, “He was drunk”.

They noted that the ‘monk’ had also been drinking after the victim went to purchase beer in the morning.

Other monks at the temple say that Phra Wichian was not one of their order and that he had arrived from Nakorn Sawan asking if he could stay at the temple.

No one was able to confirm if he was a real monk or just masquerading as one in robes. The victim was also from out of town, apparently a monk, although he was not in robes at the time of the attack.

Phra Wichian was later arrested near the Kawila boxing camp. He has so far denied any involvement and refused to take part in a reenactment today.

He has been charged with assault causing death. Mae Ping police say they have all the witnesses and evidence they need to bring charges against the man.

SOURCE: Sanook

Out of town 'monk' assaults and kills another monk at a Chiang Mai temple | News by The Thaiger

Chiang Mai

Chinese tourist caught stealing GoPro from couple – VIDEO

Published

23 hours ago

April 25, 2019

The Thaiger

A Chinese man has been caught stealing a camera from a Spanish couple in Chiang Mai.

The incident happened on Tuesday and was captured on CCTV. The Spanish tourists had been visiting Wat Phra That Doi Suthep when they put a GoPro camera on the bench they had been sitting on. After realising they’d left the camera there, they returned but the camera was gone.

They reported the missing GoPro to police who checked the CCTV footage which shows the camera was picked up by a man wearing a large hat.

The man had been sitting behind the Spanish couple and picked up the camera after he saw it had been left on the bench. He goes to sit where the camera had been left before using his large hat and shirt to disguise the fact he was allegedly stealing the camera.

The man was part of a Chinese tour group who police later tracked down to the Old Chiang Mai Cultural Centre. When approached by police the Chinese man handed over the camera telling officers that he had intended to hand it in but wasn’t sure how or where to report the matter.

Channel 7 reports that the incident seemed to have been put down to a ‘misunderstanding’, with the camera eventually being returned to the Spanish couple. According to Thai media the Chinese man has not been charged with theft.

Meanwhile, a British tourist, who used the same excuse after picking up a mobile phone left on the ground outside Chiang Mai Airport in February, was charged with theft and ended up in jail for ten days. Story HERE.

SOURCE: Chiang Mai News

Chiang Mai

Police defend theft charges on British backpacker Chris Dodd

Published

1 day ago

April 25, 2019

The Thaiger & The Nation

Police defend theft charges on British backpacker Chris Dodd | The Thaiger

PHOTOS: Chris Dodd, BBC

Police are defending their actions when they charged a British backpacker with theft after he picked up a mobile phone at Chiang Mai airport last February.

29 year old Chris Dodd spent 10 days in jail in February after he was charged with stealing the phone belonging to a German tourist and remanded in custody by a court. Chris insists that he intended to hand the phone in when he arrived at his accommodation.

Read the original Thaiger story HERE.

The charge was dropped after his family and friends back home raised 828,690 baht to pay a fine on his behalf. Dodd has since returned home and continues to protest his innocence.

He has also complained in interviews with the local media that he was forced to have his dreadlocks shaved while he was detained and had to sleep in an overcrowded jail where nobody spoke English.

Dodd, a tattoo artist, told the BBC that he found the phone just as he was about to get into the taxi after arriving at the airport.

The broadcaster says he told them he picked it up the phone and while looking for its owner he moved it to a different location, which is considered theft in Thai law.

Pol Colonel Krissana Pattanacharoen said police at Chiang Mai International Airport had been approached at 8.40pm on February 26 by a German tourist who said she had lost her mobile phone in the terminal.

Police defend theft charges on British backpacker Chris Dodd | News by The Thaiger

CCTV footage showed a foreigner with dreadlocks and white cap pick up the phone from the floor of the passengers’ lounge before leaving the airport in a public van.

Police then traced the van to a guesthouse in Tambon Sripoom, Muang district and found the phone in the possession of British backpacker Dodd, who comes from Poole, Dorset.

“The SIM of the phone we confiscated from the British man had been removed, and the password and language changed,” said Krissana.

“All the data had been wiped clean. Police then took him to the Pupingrachaniwet police station to be charged.”

Based on the evidence, police charged him with theft and he was taken to Chiang Mai prison pending trial. He was freed on bail on March 11.

Krissana insisted that the shaving of the dreadlocks had been done in accordance with the regulations.

“We strictly follow the laws with respect to basic human rights,” Krissana added.

“We are gathering information from his interviews to consider legal action against him.”

BBC quoted Dodd as saying: “I was stripped naked, sent in, given a blanket. Then, the next thing you know you’re being taken into the cells, where they house massive amounts of people.

“Nobody spoke English. It was really intimidating. You just have to fight for a space on the floor and you have people’s legs all over you.”

SOURCE: The Nation

Police defend theft charges on British backpacker Chris Dodd | News by The Thaiger

Chiang Mai

British backpacker returns home for Easter after being jailed in Thailand

Published

4 days ago

April 22, 2019

The Thaiger

PHOTOS: Facebook.com

A British backpacker is back in the UK for Easter after being released from prison after being incarcerated for 10 days over a ‘trivial’ offence.

26 year old Chris Dodd told the BBC he was arrested for picking up a mobile phone he found on the ground whilst waiting for a taxi at the Chiang Mai airport. He was accused of theft after taking it with him to his accommodation.

According to Chris, he says he picked up the phone trying to find the owner. In doing so he moved it to a different location – considered theft under Thai law. He says his intention was to report it to police and find the owner when he arrived at his hostel accommodation.

Police identified him on airport CCTV. He was arrested at the hostel.

Prison guards shaved Mr Dodd’s head but gave him the shaved-off dreadlocks saying he could keep them.

British backpacker returns home for Easter after being jailed in Thailand | News by The Thaiger

“I was stripped naked, sent in, given a blanket.”

“Nobody spoke English. It was really intimidating. You just have to fight for a space on the floor and you have people’s legs all over you,” Chris told the BBC.

According to his lawyer he faced a five year prison sentence if convicted, but the charges against him were eventually dropped and he was able to leave Thailand. Mr Dodd was released on bail after family and friends raised £20,000 (828,000 baht).

His lawyer told Mr Dodd to leave Thailand immediately after being released. The charges were dropped last Friday.

SOURCE: BBC

British backpacker returns home for Easter after being jailed in Thailand | News by The Thaiger