Police shot dead in high-speed chase with suspect | Thailand News Today
Police shot dead in high-speed chase with suspect
Last night, a patrol officer from Pak Chong Police Station in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima was shot dead on duty while chasing a motorcycle rider. The body of 28 year old lance corporal police officer Autthapon Boonme was found on the side of Khao Thai Sayan-Pak Chong SAO Road.
Autthapon was shot seven times in the face and lay in a pool of blood, and was still breathing when the rescue team arrived but later died at the hospital.
A woman who witnessed the incident and reported the death to the police was Orasa Yodchomyarn. The 24 year old informed the police that she was on her way to a petrol station at 9pm last night when she saw Autthapon driving a motorcycle at a high speed chasing another motorcycle rider.
The Commander of the Provincial Police Region 3’s Police Investigation Department, Choosawat Janrojkij, reported to the media that the patrol police do not usually patrol alone and that they always work in pairs, but the police’s partner is not available so he had to go alone.
Autthapon reported via walkie-talkie that he was going to patrol the Mor Din Daeng community, and then he vanished. Choosawat explained that officers were searching security cameras on the road and nearby areas to detect the gunman.
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Thailand’s PM expects more than 30 million foreign tourists this year
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed relevant agencies to facilitate tourists with travel plans and to ensure their safety in the country, because he expects the country to see more than 30 million foreign tourists this year.
According to Reuters, the government initially predicted a smaller number of foreign tourists to arrive this year which is at 20 million, but then changed it to 28 million, and now over 30 million. China’s border reopening has reportedly affected the latest tourism projections as the return of Chinese tourists is expected to inflate the number of foreign tourists this year. Thailand’s government is now expecting at least seven to eight million Chinese visitors, which is more than the previous forecast of 5 million.
Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand says Thailand has received more than 99,000 Chinese tourists up until February 2 of this year and overall foreign tourist arrivals amounted to 2.1 million in January.
Before the Covid pandemic wreaked havoc on Thailand’s coveted tourism industry, the nation saw a record of nearly 40 million foreign tourists in 2019. The economy also benefitted from such a surge in tourism, recording 1.91 trillion baht from tourists’ expenditures.
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Man arrested in fake army uniform did it to get attention from girls
Officers from the Non Sung Police Station in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima arrested a man named Kanokpon Rattanawichai, for theft on Monday, February 6, and discovered that the the man had a penchant for dressing up in fake Royal Thai Army (RTA) uniforms.
According to the police report, Kanokpon used to work in Chon Buri but fled after stealing from his employer. He was taken into custody while wearing an olive-green army shirt with an RTA screen print on the back. However, he’s not a member of the armed forces. He stated that he wore the soldier costume to draw female attention and had no intention of committing any crimes using it.
Kanokpon confessed that his admiration for the uniform stemmed from a lifelong aspiration of becoming a soldier, but he never had the chance to join the military. He thought he was suitable for the role, so he bought the uniform online and started fulfilling his fantasy. He believed that women found men in uniforms attractive, which is why he dressed up for their attention.
Superintendent of Non Sung Police Station, Sanchai Phisaiphan, was skeptical of Kanokpon’s claims. They would be conducting further investigations if there were victims lured by the man’s disguise. Kanokpon was initially charged with Section 334 of the Criminal Law which states; whoever stole the assets of another person shall be punished with imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to 6,000 baht. More charges related to the use of fake army uniforms are expected to come after the investigation is complete.
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Kite Festival on the Beach returns to Pattaya from February 24-28
After a hiatus last year with no explanation, the Kite Festival on the beach returns to Pattaya from February 24 to 28. The highlight of this year’s festival is yet to be announced, but the visitors are ensured to be amazed by the sheer size and beauty of several giant kites over the course of three days just like in the past.
In 2021, over 30 giant kites graced the beach, including the largest bowl kite in all of Thailand, which measured a staggering 15 meters in length. Past festivals have also included a painting activity for shoppers and beachgoers, where they can create their own kites to fly and show off.
Best of all, the festival is completely free, so you can spend all day admiring these magnificent kites without breaking the bank.
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