Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Farmers return home; More Southern violence; Russian wanted for extortion caught in Chon Buri
PHUKET MEDIA WATCH
– Thailand news compiled by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international communityFarmers from northern provinces return home
Phuket Gazette / The Nation
PHUKET: About 10,000 farmers who travelled from the lower northern provinces to Bangkok resolved on Friday to return home rather than head to Suvarnabhumi Airport for a rally.The farmers decided to return home after their leader, former Chart Thai Pattana Party MP Chada Thaiset, was assured by the government that they would get their payments for their rice next week.
The farmers reached Ayutthaya’s Bang Pa-in district Thursday and stayed overnight there. They travelled in about 1,000 farm tractors.
Sources said Mr Chada met caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong and PM’s Office Minister Varathep Ratanakorn at 8pm Thursday to discuss the farmers’ demand for the government to speed up their payments.
The sources said the talks achieved a “satisfactory result” and Mr Chada promised to relay the outcome to the farmers.
The sources said the prime minister asked Mr Chada to tell the farmers not to block the airport because the move would severely affect the country.
One killed, several injured in South attacks
Phuket Gazette / The Nation
PHUKET: Two volunteer military rangers were injured in a roadside bomb attack in Narathiwat’s Joh I Rong district yesterday, while a rubber tapper was shot dead and another injured in Yala’s Raman district.
On Wednesday night, there was an attack on the home of a senior clerk at Yala’s Bannang Sata district office, with seven M79 grenades thrown. However, no one was injured.
The assailants reportedly hurled two grenades at about 8.45pm and then another five grenades at about 9.10pm.
Police and defence volunteers fired back, prompting the assailants to flee.
A source involved with the investigation into the incident said police suspected an insurgent sympathiser group led by Mukta Ali-mama and Ahmad Leubaesa carried out the attack.
Less than an hour later, a resident was shot dead in a separate incident in the district.
The bombing in Joh I Rong occurred at about 8:30am and targeted a six-ranger patrol on three motorcycles.
As volunteer military rangers Boonpen Leeka and Jaroonsak Pitakkij inspected a bridge in tambon Mareubo-ok, insurgents detonated a 20kg bomb.
The duo was rushed to Joh I Rong Hospital.
Earlier, an unknown gunmen shot dead local resident Asae Waedoyee and injured Khosima Waedoyee in tambon Kortor Teura in Yala’s Raman district at about 6:45am while the two victims rode a motorcycle to tap rubber trees.
In a separate incident, villager Sawat Baiwang-ah, 35, was shot dead near a local mosque at about 9pm on Wednesday in Bannang Sata’s tabom Taling Chan. Police were investigating the motive behind the killing at press time.
On Wednesday night, there was an attack on the home of a senior clerk at Yala’s Bannang Sata district office, with seven M79 grenades thrown. However, no one was injured.
The assailants reportedly hurled two grenades at about 8.45pm and then another five grenades at about 9.10pm.
Police and defence volunteers fired back, prompting the assailants to flee.
A source involved with the investigation into the incident said police suspected an insurgent sympathiser group led by Mukta Ali-mama and Ahmad Leubaesa carried out the attack.
Less than an hour later, a resident was shot dead in a separate incident in the district.
The bombing in Joh I Rong occurred at about 8:30am and targeted a six-ranger patrol on three motorcycles.
As volunteer military rangers Boonpen Leeka and Jaroonsak Pitakkij inspected a bridge in tambon Mareubo-ok, insurgents detonated a 20kg bomb.
The duo was rushed to Joh I Rong Hospital.
Earlier, an unknown gunmen shot dead local resident Asae Waedoyee and injured Khosima Waedoyee in tambon Kortor Teura in Yala’s Raman district at about 6:45am while the two victims rode a motorcycle to tap rubber trees.
In a separate incident, villager Sawat Baiwang-ah, 35, was shot dead near a local mosque at about 9pm on Wednesday in Bannang Sata’s tabom Taling Chan. Police were investigating the motive behind the killing at press time.
Russian extortion suspect nabbed in Chon Buri
Phuket Gazette / The Nation
PHUKET: Immigration Police have arrested a Russian national who fled extortion charges and set up home in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district.
Immigration Division 3 chief Pol Maj-General Kriengsak Arunsrisopon told the press that suspect Dmitry Ishmukhametov allegedly used a false Czech passport under the name Dmitry Lemba to enter Thailand. He was nabbed outside a property showroom in tambon Nong Preu for questioning.
Initial investigation shows that the suspect entered Thailand in October two years ago over the Thai-Malaysia border, allegedly to run a property business in Pattaya. He was initially charged with passport forgery and using a fake passport.
Further investigation showed that he also had a fake work permit to hold an executive position in a 60-million-baht property firm, police say.
PHUKET: Immigration Police have arrested a Russian national who fled extortion charges and set up home in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district.
Immigration Division 3 chief Pol Maj-General Kriengsak Arunsrisopon told the press that suspect Dmitry Ishmukhametov allegedly used a false Czech passport under the name Dmitry Lemba to enter Thailand. He was nabbed outside a property showroom in tambon Nong Preu for questioning.
Initial investigation shows that the suspect entered Thailand in October two years ago over the Thai-Malaysia border, allegedly to run a property business in Pattaya. He was initially charged with passport forgery and using a fake passport.
Further investigation showed that he also had a fake work permit to hold an executive position in a 60-million-baht property firm, police say.
— Phuket Gazette Editors
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