Thailand News Today | Police let off CNN reporters with 5,000 baht fine
reporting, Alcohol sales ban in Thailand today and a former doctor and daughter
send a call centre gang 100 million baht! all that and more coming right up in
today’s program.
Police let off CNN reporters with 5,000 baht fine for invasive massacre reporting
Deputy police chief ‘Big Joke‘ has done a 180-degree turn on CNN, letting off
reporters with just a 5,000 baht fine (US$132) each for their invasive coverage of
the daycare centre massacre in Nong Bua Lamphu province in northeast Thailand.
On Saturday, Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn insisted on prosecuting two members
of CNN staff for breaking into the crime scene and tampering with evidence,
which is a crime punishable by up to five years in prison in Thailand.
US news agency CNN came under fire after two reporters filmed footage on Friday
– which has since been taken down – of the blood-stained floor inside the daycare
centre. They were accused of climbing over police tape to get their footage.
The footage garnered criticism from the Thai Journalists Association and the
Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT), who released a statement
saying they were “dismayed” at CNN’s footage, which they called “unprofessional
and a serious breach of journalistic ethics in crime reporting.”
It was later found that both journalists entered Thailand on tourist visas and had no
right to be working in the kingdom.
Despite Big Joke announcing on Saturday that the police would pursue legal action
against the reporter and cameraman, he made a second statement yesterday saying
they would be let off but fined 5,000 each for working on a tourist visa.
The two reporters are scheduled to depart from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi
International Airport for Hong Kong this afternoon.
Alcohol sales ban in Thailand today to mark end of Buddhist Lent
Thailand celebrates an auspicious Buddhist holiday today known as ‘Awk Pansa‘
(exit Pansa) to mark the final day of Buddhist Lent. Being one of Thailand’s five
major Buddhist holidays, alcohol sales are banned for 24 hours nationwide.///
Alcohol sales are banned everywhere in Thailand today apart from duty-free shops
at international airports, according to the Alcohol Beverage Control Act (2008).
Under Thai law, anyone in the kingdom found to be selling alcohol today will be
fined up to 10,000 baht, imprisoned for up to six months, or both.
Despite the prospect of a fine and potential prison time, many smaller independent
shops in the kingdom may still unlawfully sell alcohol today to non-religious folk
looking for a drink. Chain stores like 7-Eleven won’t, so there is no point in
asking.
The sale of alcohol is also banned in Thailand on Makha Bucha Day, Visakha
Bucha Day, Asanha Bucha Day and Khao Pansa (enter Pansa).
Cooler weather is expected in most parts of the country from Wednesday
The Thai Meteorological Department has advised people in most parts of the
the country today (Monday) to brace for the arrival of the cold season, with heavy rain
forecast for today and tomorrow.///
The Weatherman said that, from today, a moderate cold front from China will
move to cover northern Thailand and this will bring heavy to very heavy rain and
strong winds today and tomorrow.
Heavy rain is forecast today for Bangkok and its peripherals, as well as in several
other provinces in northern, central, eastern and southern provinces.
For tomorrow, heavy rain is forecast in Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan.
Then, on Wednesday, temperatures in the north-eastern region are forecast to drop
3-5oC, while the mercury in the northern, central and eastern regions is expected to
fall by 1-3oC. The regions can also expect strong winds.
Former doctor and daughter send call centre gang 100 million baht
A local news agency reported that a retired doctor in southern Thailand and her
daughter parted with more than 100 million baht after they believed they were
being investigated for sending a package containing an illegal item.
The daughter thought they were facing jail and after telling her mother – a former
doctor at a hospital in Chumphon – they decided to comply with requests they
thought were being made by the police in Chiang Rai.
The case began when " Da" – the daughter got a call on September 25th. Da and her
mother runs a clinic in the south of Thailand
She should have just put the phone down and ignored it. Some people are getting
these calls daily.
Instead, she got sucked into believing that she would be jailed for sending a
package, probably containing drugs or illegal documents.
She went on a Line group said to be run by the Chiang Rai police.
Then she got further entrapped by believing that a " Pol Col Kittipong" of the
Chiang Rai police wanted her assets.
She then told her mother about it.
Together they transferred over 100 million baht using four accounts between 25th
and 29th September.
Then the penny dropped. It was all a scam.
They went to the real police to report the crime. Yesterday Region 8 deputy Pol
Maj-Gen Wasan Techa-akarakasem went to a police meeting to see how the case
was progressing.
We recommend that if you get a call from people that say you are mixed up in
illegal activity do one thing and one thing only. Just hang up.
Indian tourist in Pattaya reportedly missing over US$6,000
An Indian tourist in Pattaya is reportedly missing over US$6,000 after staying at a
hotel in the city for just two days, The Pattaya News reported yesterday. ///
The man, 45-year-old Vivek Singhal, told Pattaya officials that he had arrived at his
hotel on October 5. He said that on October 7, he realised that US$6,600 that he
had left in his hotel’s electronic safe box was gone. The money is equivalent to
about 250,000 baht.
Vivek filed a complaint to Pattaya City police on Saturday, October 8. Police at
first reportedly had some doubts about Vivek’s report, since an initial examination
showed that the safe box had not been tampered with. Pattaya officials would
continue, however, to check CCTV footage to see if any suspicious person entered
Vivek’s hotel room.
It was unclear if Vivek had invited any visitors into his room during the time that
his money allegedly went missing.
Pattaya has now developed somewhat of a reputation for thefts against Indian
tourists. The most notorious of these crimes have involved thieves, often ladyboys,
snatching Indian tourists’ gold necklaces.
In August, an Indian tourist was robbed of 12,000 baht cash and other assets on
Pattaya’s infamous Walking. The 33-year-old Vishal Vajbhaw claimed that two
ladyboys robbed him after he rejected their “services.”
Pattaya Police announced a specialised patrol force in May to combat these thefts,
and declared again at the end of June they would crack down on Indian gold
necklace thefts.
And that’s a wrap for today’s show, for daily updates please don’t forget to like
and subscribe to our channel. See you again tomorrow with more headlines around
Thailand. SWK.
