Jonathan Fairfield

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The week that was in Thailand news: What's in a name? The lighter side of the CORONA virus and AYDS!

 

 

Rooster took a fair bit of flak last week for daring to offer honestly held and contrary opinions to the mainstream. This was not done to boost Thaivisa revenue and indeed my views are not to be considered those of the site. However, I take exception at being called a click-baiting troll and "wannabe hack".

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1147379-the-week-that-was-in-thailand-news-whats-in-a-name-the-lighter-side-of-the-corona-virus-and-ayds/

 

UPDATE 07.30

 

- 15 hours since first shooting operation at Terminal 21 Korat Mall remains ongoing

- Suspect still at large inside mall

- Thai special forces also inside mall

- at least 21 killed, 30 injured

- Special forces soldier understood to be amongst those killed

- Suspect is 32 yrs old, army sergeant 

- Suspect earlier live streamed killing rampage on Facebook

 

 

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Death toll hits 21 from Thai shooting after raid into mall

By Panu Wongcha-um

 

 

 

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand (Reuters) - A member of the Thai security forces was killed early on Sunday in a raid into a shopping mall to try to stop a soldier on a shooting rampage, bringing the total death toll to 21, the health minister said.

 

The killings began at around 3 p.m. (0800 GMT) on Saturday when the soldier opened fire in a house before moving to an army camp and then to the mall in Nakhon Ratchasima in northeastern Thailand, posting messages on Facebook as he went.

 

Early on Sunday, gunfire broke out at the mall as security forces tried to dislodge the soldier, identified by police as 32-year-old Jakrapanth Thomma.

 

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters at the scene that one member of the security forces was killed and two wounded in the raid. As he spoke, a series of explosions and further shooting echoed from the Terminal 21 mall.

Police closed off streets around the mall and kept journalists behind a security cordon.

After the raid, Reuters video images showed one casualty being wheeled out to an ambulance. Another staggered from the building barechested as he was helped onto a stretcher.

 

At least 31 other people have been wounded.

 

Thai media said the suspected shooter had worked at an army base close to Nakhon Ratchasima, which is about 250 km (155 miles) from the capital Bangkok. Before the attack, Jakrapanth had posted on his Facebook account that he was out for vengeance -- but he did not say for what.

 

'IT APPEARS HE WENT MAD'

 

"We don't know why he did this. It appears he went mad," Defence Ministry spokesman Kongcheep Tantrawanit told Reuters.

 

It was unclear how many shoppers and workers remained inside the shopping mall after soldiers and police had earlier escorted hundreds of trapped people to safety, Kongcheep said.

 

"It was frightening because I could hear the occasional gunshot ... we waited a long time for the police to come and help us, many hours." said Suvanarat Jirattanasakul, 27, her voice trembling after she emerged.

 

The mall was busy with shoppers on a long weekend for the Buddhist Makha Bucha holiday.

CCTV footage from inside the mall posted on social media showed the gunman dressed in black and wearing a mask, his gun slung over his shoulder with no sign of other people around.

Facebook <FB.O> said it had removed the suspect's account.

 

"There is no place on Facebook for people who commit this kind of atrocity, nor do we allow people to praise or support this attack," a Facebook representative said in a statement.

 

Major shootings are rare in the Southeast Asian country other than in the far south, where a decades-old insurgency persists.

 

Nakhon Ratchasima is one of the biggest cities in northeastern Thailand, an island of relative prosperity in a rice growing area that is one of the poorest parts of the country of 69 million people.

 

(Additional reporting by Athit Perawongmetha and Jiraporn Kuhakan in Nakhon Ratchasima, Patpicha Tanakasempipat, Panarat Thepgumpanat and Juarawee Kittisilpa in Bangkok; Writing by Kay Johnson and Matthew Tostevin; Editing by Daniel Wallis)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 UPDATE - 23:29

 

KORAT MALL SHOOTING LATEST

 

- At least 20 killed, number of injured unclear - Thai Defence Ministry

 

- Video on Twitter purported to show Thai special forces entering the mall

 

- Gunman understood to be still inside Terminal 21 shopping mall in Korat

 

- Thai news site Thairath reported that 16 people are being held hostage in the mall.

 

- Total of 80 people rescued from mall, but many others still unaccounted for.

 

- Reports suspect is also armed with explosives

 

- Military reportedly deployed jamming devices to stop suspect from being able to broadcast online

 

- Special forces were expected to enter the mall to engage the gunman

 

- Army has ordered media to stop live broadcasts from outside the mall

 

- Urgent call for blood - Donations can be made at hospitals in Korat, Surin, Buriram and Saraburi

 

- People in Korat told to remain indoors

 

- Gunman, who is a soldier, earlier streamed rampage live on Facebook

 

- Rampage began when soldier shot dead at least two colleagues

 

- Suspect is said to have had dispute over a land deal with commanding officer

 

- #savekorat starts trending on social media

 

 

 

 

 

 UPDATE - 22:36

 

KORAT MALL SHOOTING LATEST

 

- Thai police say at least 17 killed, 21 wounded in shooting, 3 in ICU

 

- Gunman understood to be still inside Terminal 21 shopping mall in Korat

 

- Thai news site Thairath reported that 16 people are being held hostage in the mall.

 

- Total of 80 people rescued from mall, but many others still unaccounted for.

 

- Reports suspect is also armed with explosives

 

- Military reportedly deployed jamming devices to stop suspect from being to broadcast online

 

- Special forces were expected to enter the mall to engage the gunman

 

- Army has ordered media to stop live broadcasts from outside the mall

 

- Urgent call for blood - Donations can be made at hospitals in Korat, Surin, Buriram and Saraburi

 

- People in Korat told to remain indoors

 

- Gunman, who is a soldier, earlier streamed rampage live on Facebook

 

- Rampage began when soldier shot dead at least two colleagues

 

- Suspect is said to have had dispute over a land deal with commanding officer

 

- #savekorat starts trending on social media

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thai soldier kills at least 17 in shooting rampage - police

By Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Panarat Thepgumpanat

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - At least 17 people were killed and 21 wounded in a shooting by a soldier in the northeastern city of Nakhon Ratchasima, police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen said in a message sent to reporters.

 

Shootings are rare in the Southeast Asian country other than in the far south, where a decades-old insurgency persists.

 

"We don't know why he did this. It appears he went mad," said defence ministry spokesman Kongcheep Tantrawanit.

 

Police identified the suspect as Jakrapanth Thomma. He had posted on his Facebook page earlier in the day that "Death is inevitable for everyone". He also posted a picture of what appeared to be his hand holding a gun.

 

At one point after the shooting had begun, the suspect posted "Should I give up?" before his account became inaccessible.

 

The soldier opened fire at different locations in the city, which is more than 250 km (155 miles) from the capital Bangkok, police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen said in a message sent to reporters.

 

The shooter was still in the Century 21 shopping mall and had not yet been apprehended, the police said.

 

MALL SHOOTING

 

Local media showed footage of the soldier getting out of a car in front of a shopping mall and firing a series of shots, sending people running. Gunshots could be heard on the video.

 

One video from a bystander showed a man slumped at the wheel of a car in a pool of blood. It was unclear if he was among the dead. Another video showed at least four people who had clearly been shot and showed no sign of movement.

 

Facebook sent its condolences to the victims and their families and said there was no place on Facebook for anyone who commits or supports such atrocities.

 

"We have removed the gunman's accounts from our services and will work around the clock to remove any violating content related to this attack as soon as we become aware of it," it said.

 

A woman interviewed by Thailand's Channel One television said she had heard gunshots when she was at the shopping mall and hid in a clothing store with other people before escaping.

 

The shooter had initially gone to a house in the city and shot two people dead, before going to the weapons store on an army base and taking a new gun, local police said.

 

He also shot at people on the army base, they said.

 

Hashtags #KoratShootingRampage and #SaveKorat were trending on social media in Thailand.

 

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul asked on his Facebook page for blood donations at four hospitals in the vicinity of Korat.

 

Thai army chief Apirat Kongsompong issued an order for local army commanders to rush to the scene and investigate.

 

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha expressed condolences to the families of those killed, a government spokeswoman said.

 

Nakhon Ratchasima is one of the biggest cities in northeastern Thailand, a rice growing area and one of the poorest regions in the country of 69 million.

 

(Writing by Matthew Tostevin; Editing by Alexander Smith and David Clarke)

 

 

 UPDATE - 22.24

 

KORAT MALL SHOOTING LATEST

 

- Unconfirmed reports say 17 dead, 14 injured, 3 in ICU

 

- Gunman understood to be still inside Terminal 21 shopping mall in Korat

 

- Thai news site Thairath reported that 16 people are being held hostage in the mall.

 

- Total of 80 people rescued from mall, but many others still unaccounted for.

 

- Reports suspect is also armed with explosives

 

- Military reportedly deployed jamming devices to stop suspect from being to broadcast online

 

- Special forces were expected to enter the mall to engage the gunman

 

- Army has ordered media to stop live broadcasts from outside the mall

 

- Urgent call for blood - Donations can be made at hospitals in Korat, Surin, Buriram and Saraburi

 

- People in Korat told to remain indoors

 

- Gunman, who is a soldier, earlier streamed rampage live on Facebook

 

- Rampage began when soldier shot dead at least two colleagues

 

- Suspect is said to have had dispute over a land deal with commanding officer

 

- #savekorat starts trending on social media

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thai soldier kills at least 13 in shooting rampage - police

By Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Panarat Thepgumpanat

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A Thai soldier killed at least 13 people in a shooting rampage on Saturday in the city of Nakhon Ratchasima in the north east of Thailand and is still at large in a shopping mall, local authorities and the police said

 

Shootings are rare in the Southeast Asian country other than in the far south, where a decades-old insurgency persists.

 

An official at the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office in Nakhon Ratchasima said at least 13 people were confirmed dead and the toll could rise. One ambulance service official in the city said the death toll was as high as 20.

 

"We don't know why he did this. It appears he went mad," said defence ministry spokesman Kongcheep Tantrawanit.

 

Police identified the suspect as Jakrapanth Thomma. He had posted on his Facebook page earlier in the day that "Death is inevitable for everyone". He also posted a picture of what appeared to be his hand holding a gun.

 

At one point after the shooting had begun, the suspect posted "Should I give up?" before his account became inaccessible.

 

The soldier opened fire at different locations in the city, which is more than 250 km (155 miles) from the capital Bangkok, police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen said in a message sent to reporters.

 

The shooter was still in the Century 21 shopping mall and had not yet been apprehended, the police said.

 

MALL SHOOTING

 

Local media showed footage of the soldier getting out of a car in front of a shopping mall and firing a series of shots, sending people running. Gunshots could be heard on the video.

 

One video from a bystander showed a man slumped at the wheel of a car in a pool of blood. It was unclear if he was among the dead. Another video showed at least four people who had clearly been shot and showed no sign of movement.

 

Facebook sent its condolences to the victims and their families and said there was no place on Facebook for anyone who commits or supports such atrocities.

 

"We have removed the gunman's accounts from our services and will work around the clock to remove any violating content related to this attack as soon as we become aware of it," it said.

 

A woman interviewed by Thailand's Channel One television said she had heard gunshots when she was at the shopping mall and hid in a clothing store with other people before escaping.

 

The shooter had initially gone to a house in the city and shot two people dead, before going to the weapons store on an army base and taking a new gun, local police said.

 

He also shot at people on the army base, they said.

 

Hashtags #KoratShootingRampage and #SaveKorat were trending on social media in Thailand.

 

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul asked on his Facebook page for blood donations at four hospitals in the vicinity of Korat.

 

Thai army chief Apirat Kongsompong issued an order for local army commanders to rush to the scene and investigate.

 

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha expressed condolences to the families of those killed, a government spokeswoman said.

 

Nakhon Ratchasima is one of the biggest cities in northeastern Thailand, a rice growing area and one of the poorest regions in the country of 69 million.

 

(Writing by Matthew Tostevin; Editing by Alexander Smith and David Clarke)

 

UPDATE - 09:03 Sunday 9 February

 

Thai forces believe shooter in mall basement as death toll hits 21

By Panu Wongcha-um

 

 

 

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand (Reuters) - A Thai soldier who has killed at least 21 people in a shooting rampage was thought to be holed up in the basement of a shopping mall in northeastern Thailand on Sunday and security forces were closing in on him, a police officer said.

 

The officer said nine civilians had been evacuated from the shopping mall and security forces were checking whether any remained there.

 

"The perpetrator is still in the basement and it doesn't look as though he has hostages. We are getting close to him," said the officer who did not give his name because he was not authorised to speak to media.

 

The killings began at around 3 p.m. (0800 GMT) on Saturday when the soldier opened fire in a house before moving to an army camp and then to the mall in Nakhon Ratchasima in northeastern Thailand, posting messages on Facebook as he went.

 

Police have identified the suspected shooter as 32-year-old Jakrapanth Thomma.

 

Overnight, one member of the security forces was killed and at least two others wounded in a raid into the Terminal 21 mall to try to stop the gunman.

 

"We are doing our best. You can see that all our senior officers of the government have been assigned here," Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters at the scene. "All steps are being taken with precautions so that we can minimize the damage as much as we can."

 

More than 30 people have been wounded.

 

Police closed off streets around the mall and kept journalists behind a security cordon.

 

Thai media said the suspected shooter had worked at an army base close to Nakhon Ratchasima,

which is about 250 km (155 miles) from the capital Bangkok. Before the attack, Jakrapanth had posted on his Facebook account that he was out for vengeance -- but he did not say for what.

 

'IT APPEARS HE WENT MAD'

 

"We don't know why he did this. It appears he went mad," Defence Ministry spokesman Kongcheep Tantrawanit told Reuters.

 

Overnight, soldiers and police stormed into the mall and escorted hundreds of trapped people to safety.

 

"It was frightening because I could hear the occasional gunshot ... we waited a long time for the police to come and help us, many hours." said Suvanarat Jirattanasakul, 27, her voice trembling after she emerged.

 

The mall was busy with shoppers on a long weekend for the Buddhist Makha Bucha holiday.

CCTV footage from inside the mall posted on social media showed the gunman dressed in black and wearing a mask, his gun slung over his shoulder with no sign of other people around.

Facebook <FB.O> said it had removed the suspect's account.

 

"There is no place on Facebook for people who commit this kind of atrocity, nor do we allow people to praise or support this attack," a Facebook representative said in a statement.

 

Major shootings are rare in the Southeast Asian country other than in the far south, where a decades-old insurgency persists.

 

Nakhon Ratchasima is one of the biggest cities in northeastern Thailand, an island of relative prosperity in a rice growing area that is one of the poorest parts of the country of 69 million people.

 

(Additional reporting by Athit Perawongmetha and Jiraporn Kuhakan in Nakhon Ratchasima, Patpicha Tanakasempipat, Panarat Thepgumpanat and Juarawee Kittisilpa in Bangkok; Writing by Kay Johnson and Matthew Tostevin; Editing by Daniel Wallis and David Gregorio)

 

 

 

 

Thailand reports seven new coronavirus cases - health ministry

 

FILE PHOTO: Test tube with Corona virus name label is seen in this illustration taken on January 29, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's public health ministry reported seven new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday, including three Thais and four Chinese.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1147360-thailand-reports-seven-new-coronavirus-cases-health-ministry/

 

Thailand reports seven new coronavirus cases - health ministry

 

FILE PHOTO: Test tube with Corona virus name label is seen in this illustration taken on January 29, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's public health ministry reported seven new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday, including three Thais and four Chinese.

 

The new cases brought the total reported in the country to 32, among the world's highest number of infections outside of China.

 

"The seven new cases are all in hospital," said Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai, director-general of the Disease Control Department.

 

One of the Thai cases was part of the group of 138 evacuated from China's coronavirus epicentre of Wuhan on Tuesday, Suwannachai told reporters.

 

The other two Thais had exposure to tourists, he said.

 

Among the four Chinese, three are members of the families of previously reported cases, while the other is a tourist from a "risky area" in China, said Suwannachai.

 

Among the 32 cases Thailand has reported so far, 23 are Chinese while nine are Thais.

 

As of Saturday, one more patient was allowed to go home, bringing the count of discharges to 10, said Suwannachai.

 

Twenty-two other patients remain in hospital, he said.

 

(Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)

 

 

 

 

 

Hi, just a reminder, the photos must be Thailand related and also comply with thaivisa forum rules

British scientist makes breakthrough in race for coronavirus vaccine: Sky

 

 

LONDON (Reuters) - A leading British scientist has made a significant breakthrough in the race for a coronavirus vaccine by reducing a part of the normal development time from "two to three years to just 14 days", Sky news reported.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1146837-british-scientist-makes-breakthrough-in-race-for-coronavirus-vaccine-sky/

 

British scientist makes breakthrough in race for coronavirus vaccine: Sky

 

 

LONDON (Reuters) - A leading British scientist has made a significant breakthrough in the race for a coronavirus vaccine by reducing a part of the normal development time from "two to three years to just 14 days", Sky news reported.

 

Robin Shattock, head of mucosal infection and immunity at Imperial College London, said he is now at the stage to start testing the vaccine on animals as early as next week with human studies in the summer if enough funding is secured, Sky said.

 

"Conventional approaches usually take at least two to three years before you even get to the clinic," he told Sky. "And we've gone from that sequence to generating a candidate in the laboratory in 14 days."

 

The vaccine will be too late for this current outbreak but it will be crucial if there is another one, Sky said.

 

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge, editing by Estelle Shirbon)

 

 

Thailand confirms six new cases of coronavirus, including four Thais - health ministry

 

People ware mask as they go out at shopping mall in Bangkok Thailand January 31, 2020. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand confirmed six new cases of the new coronavirus on Tuesday, four of them Thai nationals and two Chinese.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1146686-thailand-confirms-six-new-cases-of-coronavirus-including-four-thais-health-ministry/

 

Thailand confirms six new cases of coronavirus, including four Thais - health ministry

 

People ware mask as they go out at shopping mall in Bangkok Thailand January 31, 2020. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand confirmed six new cases of the new coronavirus on Tuesday, four of them Thai nationals and two Chinese.

 

The four Thai people included a couple who had visited Japan and two drivers who had picked up Chinese passengers in Thailand, the health ministry said.

 

The new cases brought the total reported in the country to 25.

 

(Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

 

Enter the February 2020 Thaivisa Photography Competition

 

The competition will run until 28th Feb 2020. 

 

The winning entry for January will receive a phone recharge with a value of ฿1000 within 30 days of the end of the competition.

 

The 1,000 baht credit is available on prepaid phones only. 

 

Please note that by submitting an image in to this photo competition, you are giving your permission for that image to be potentially used in the annual Thaivisa Calendar. If you are not aware of the calendar, here is the 2020 calendar.

 

Here is an entry from the November competition.

 

Wat Chai Watthanaram, Ayutthaya - Image: Vietem

 

 

Competition Rules

 

- Contributing members may submit up to four of their own photos per month.

(Members can re-submit an image in a following months competition providing it hasn't been a winner in a previous months competition.)

 

- Please only one photo per post!

 

- The photos must be Thailand related and also comply with thaivisa forum rules.

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/terms/

 

- A title, Basic Exif data, location and date may be added, but no extra comments to try and win more votes will be allowed.

 

- All entries will be included in a gallery as posted and at the end of the month this gallery will then be sent to the judges who will choose the winner.

 

- Please note that likes can still be given but will play no part in deciding what is presented for judging.

 

- All entries will be considered regardless of the time of the month posted.

 

How to post images

 

Instructions on how to post images can be found here:

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/942998-posting-images-on-to-a-thread/#comment-11149553

 

Please keep dropping by and give your support (likes) to the new images being posted.

 

Those images gaining 10 likes or more will be added to the "Best Shots Gallery " for the month in question.

This gallery is not part of the monthly competition and will also include images from across all the general photographic threads that accumulate 10 likes or more.

 

 

Note.......We will drop by the thread every day or so to remove the posts not containing images, so please don't be annoyed if you see one of your posts is missing, thanks for your understanding.

 

Please add your best shots, and contribute to the rest of the photo forum 

 

Other parts of the photo forum here:

https://forum.thaivisa.com/forum/84-photography-and-the-arts/

Thailand confirms first human-to-human coronavirus transmission

 

Chinese tourists buy protective masks at a department store in Bangkok, Thailand January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand has seen its first case of human-to-human transmission of the new coronavirus inside the country, a health official said on Friday.

 

Full story: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1146107-thailand-confirms-first-human-to-human-coronavirus-transmission/