Chiang Rai

Four of the Mu Pa 13 become Thai citizens

Published

5 months ago

August 8, 2018

The Thaiger & The Nation

Four of the Mu Pa 13 become Thai citizens | The Thaiger

PHOTO: Adul Samon, Mongkol Boonpium, Pornchai Khamluang and assistant coach Ekkapol Chantawongse.

Good news for four of the stateless Mu Pa Academy footballers. During their time in the cave it was revealed that four of the team were officially stateless – unable to get a bank account, get legally married, start a business, etc.

Tonight the four officially became Thai citizens. They attended a naturalisation ceremony held in Chiang Rai province and each of them was given the national identity card

They were among 13 members of the Mu Pa football club who went missing in the Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district in late June. They were located and evacuated two weeks later in a multinational operation. Their rescue mission made headlines around the world as the method of evacuating them from the dark and flooded cave was regarded as the first of its kind.

Mae Sai district chief Somsak Kanakham said they were granted citizenship according to the laws. During the ceremony chaired by Somsak, 30 people became Thai citizens. The births of Adul, Mongkon and Pornchai were registered at Mae Sai and Wiengpankham municipalities and they were granted Thai citizenship after they presented their birth certificate to the district chief.

Ekkapol, who is still in the monkhood, was born at Mae Sai Hospital and has a parent who was born in Thailand. He was granted citizenship on grounds of his good behaviour and actions that benefited society.

Ekkapol Chantawongse

Adul Samon

Pornchai Khamluang

Mongkol Boonpium

SOURCE: The Nation

Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai Tourist Police hunting another foreign graffiti sprayer – VIDEO

Published

6 days ago

January 11, 2019

The Thaiger

PHOTOS/VIDEO: Chiang Rai Tourist Police

The Chiang Rai Tourist Police are hunting for a foreign man who was caught on CCTV footage spraying on a wall near the old bus terminal in Chiang Rai.

The northern Tourist Police office yesterday were trying to find the man who is clearly identified on CCTV footage spraying the wall of a restaurant.

Anyone who see this foreign man is asked to call the Chiang Rai Tourist Police on 053 152 547.

A Russian woman, who was caught red-handed spray painting a road in Rawai last month, was caught and fined for her midemeanour. She claimed she was looking for her lost boyfriend.

Chiang Rai

Burmese man arrested with 300 kilogram of ‘ice’ in Chiang Rai

Published

6 days ago

January 11, 2019

The Thaiger & The Nation

Burmese man arrested with 300 kilogram of ‘ice’ in Chiang Rai | The Thaiger

A Burmese man from the Shan State has been arrested after troops intercepted his pickup and found a large shipment of 300 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine last night.

The Pha Muang Taskforce had officers set up a checkpoint on the bypass near Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district between the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge and Ban Nam Jam village in Tambon Pong Pha.

Troops say they saw a pickup slow down and make a U-turn before it reached the checkpoint so they chased after it until the driver lost control and drove off the road.

Police report that the driver managed to flee into the roadside forest but his passenger, Sam, also Shan, was arrested. Authorities later learned that the fleeing driver was identified as 34 year old Nattapol Thongkham.

SOURCE: The Nation

Chiang Rai

Thailand has a special support team in the stands today – Asian Cup opener against India

Published

2 weeks ago

January 6, 2019

The Thaiger

by Debayan Sen in Abu Dhabi for ESPN

Ahead of their Asian Cup opening game against India today, Thailand will have four champion footballers supporting them from the stands. Well, champions in their Chiang Rai district games anyway.

The Mu Pa (Wild Boar) football team, whose rescue from the Tham Luang caves last year captured the imagination of the world, will be at the Al Nahyan Stadium supporting their country, as special guests of the Asian Football Confederation.

Yesterday, three of them were taken on a guided tour of the stadium and spoke to the media while being shown around. Coach Eakapol spoke for his boys, describing the trip as a unique opportunity to cheer for their team.

“It’s their goal and dream to be professional footballers one day,” he said.

Titan, the shortest of the boys, is a forward and a huge Lionel Messi fan. His coach likes Messi too, as does midfielder Tee. Adul, who likes to play on the right wing, is the only one to idolise Cristiano Ronaldo. Not surprisingly, he’s also the only Juventus fan among Barcelona buffs.