Chiang Rai

“Massive, massive relief” – Diver Richard Stanton speaks

Published

1 year ago

July 13, 2018

“Massive, massive relief” – Diver Richard Stanton speaks | The Thaiger

“The mission was an order of difficulty much higher than anything that’s been accomplished anywhere around the world by any other cave diving team.”

The British diver who found 12 Thai boys and their coach trapped alive in a flooded cave has described his “massive relief” as he counted them one by one, in what he called an unprecedented rescue operation.

Richard Stanton, one of a pair of British caving experts who located the “Wild Boars” team, gave reporters today a first-hand account of the moment he saw the boys emerge from behind a rock face onto a muddy ledge kilometres (miles) inside the Tham Luang cave.

“That was a massive, massive relief. Initially we weren’t certain they were all alive – as they were coming down I was counting them until I got to 1. We couldn’t see them initially – they had to come round the corner.” he said.

The discovery prompted the stunning rescue of the boys which captivated Thailand and the world, with the final members finally emerging safely Tuesday after 18 days underground. In order to rescue the boys, divers had to contend with a treacherous escape route made up of narrow, water-filled tunnels, with the threat of heavy rain injecting urgency to the bid.

Footage of the moment Stanton and John Volanthen discovered the 12 dishevelled and emaciated boys was viewed millions of times after it was posted on the official Facebook page of Thai Navy SEAL, prompting hope for their rescue.

Fellow diver Chris Jewell provided new details of the operation, describing how Thai authorities had diverted rivers on the mountaintop to help control water levels in the cave.

Read the rest of the story HERE.

Chiang Rai

Department warns of possible floods and landslides for 12 provinces

Published

2 days ago

August 18, 2019

The Thaiger

FILE PHOTO

Officials and emergency responders in 12 provinces have been instructed to be prepared, and put equipment on standby, to cope with possible floods and landslides until August 20 (Tuesday).

Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation director-general Chayaphol Thitisak says the alert was issued because of heavy downpours in the North, the Central and southeastern coastal areas.

Officials were told to monitor weather conditions, as well as rainfall and river levels around the clock while also preparing fast-moving teams and equipment to be stationed at disaster-prone areas, ready to aid residents. The locals have also been urged to follow weather reports closely, according to The Nation.

The 12 affected provinces include…

Mae Hong Son (Muang, Pang Mapha, Khun Yuam, Mae Sariang, Mae La Noi, Pai, Sop Moei districts), Chiang Rai (Mae Chan, Mae Suay , Mae Lao and Wiang Pa Pao districts), Phayao (Chiang Muan, Chiang Kham and Pong districts), Phrae (Song, Long, Wang Chin and Rong Kwang districts), Nan (Muang, Bo Klua, Chalerm Phrakiat, Wiang Sa, Chiang Klang, Tha Wang Pha, Na Noi, Na Mun, Pua, Thung Chang, Santisuk, Mae Jarim and Ban Luang districts), Uttaradit (Ban Khok, Tha Pla and Nam Pad districts), Tak (Tha Song Yang, Mae Ramat, Mae Sot and Pop Phra districts), Nakhon Nayok (Muang district), Trat (Bo Rai and Khlong Yai districts), Ranong (Muang, Kra Buri, La-un, and Kapoe dsitricts), Phang Nga (Muang, Kapong, Takua Pa and Tai Muang districts), and Trang (Na Yong district).

The department’s hotline is 1784 and monitored 24/7.

FORECASTS: weather.com

Meanwhile the forecast from weather.com for Phang Nga is for mostly dry conditions during the warning period.

Department warns of possible floods and landslides for 12 provinces | News by The Thaiger

…whilst Chiang Rai’s forecast includes a greater chance of rain.

Department warns of possible floods and landslides for 12 provinces | News by The Thaiger

Chiang Rai

Korean auntie arrested in Chiang Rai and deported over company theft

Published

4 days ago

August 16, 2019

Tanutam Thawan

Korean auntie arrested in Chiang Rai and deported over company theft | The Thaiger

PHOTO: INN News

The Thai Immigration Policein Chiang Rai have reported the arrest of a Korean woman, Kyoungnam known as ‘Park’. She was prosecuted by the South Korean authorities on fraud charges and had an arrest warrant issued in her name by a court in South Korea.

So Miss Park attempted to hide in Thailand and evade her arrest warrant in South Korea. But the South Korean authorities contacted Thai Police with information about Park, including a description of the Korean ‘auntie’ (an asian term of endearment for an older woman). The search for Park was picked up by the Chiang Rai Province Immigration Police who tracked her down and arrested her in the area.

Park had been working in a company in South Korea for a number of years. During her time working there she had cheated the company by covertly stealing more than 440 million Korean won, about 10 million Thai baht.

She is being deported back to South Korea.

SOURCE: INN News

Chiang Mai

Stormy weather for the Thai north and northeast later this week

Published

3 weeks ago

July 31, 2019

The Thaiger

The Thai Meteorological Department has issued warnings about possible impacts from a tropical storm expected to reach Vietnam tomorrow and Friday, August 1 and 2.

The area of low pressure which formed west of the Philippines reaches southeast China from today. Should this system strengthen into a tropical storm, it will be given the name ‘Wipha’.

The TMD reports that the tropical depression, over the upper South China Sea, is yielding winds with a sustained speed of about 50 knots. The storm is currently almost stationary.

The storm is expected to move through Hainan, China and make landfall over upper Vietnam, when more rain will be likely with torrential downpours over the country affecting the Northeast and the North later in the week.

Typically, these South China Sea tropical depressions drag in moist air from the Indian Ocean and can bring rain and higher wind speeds to southern Thailand. Expect some rain in the southern provinces, including Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi from Friday to Sunday.

Stormy weather for the Thai north and northeast later this week | News by The Thaiger