Thaivisa News

Koh Samui, Surat Thani: The shooting and killing of a Turkish tourist on Koh Samui Friday took a new twist as police arrested a bar manager and his worker on Saturday for allegedly murdering the man in cold blood.

Channel 3 reported Sunday that police had conducted an investigation and found discrepancies in statement of Kabin Sri-sa-ard, 27, a security officer of the Solo Bar on Chawaeng Beach.

Initially, Kabin told police that Mehmet Polot pulled his revolver, threatening to fire at him after he refused his entry to the pub after closing time early Friday. Kabin claimed he gunned down Polot with his shot gun.

But an autopsy showed that the Turkish man was shot by two guns. Following the discrepancies, police checked footage from security cameras in the area.

One clip showed the Turkish man was sitting at the bar in front of the pub and the bar manager, Khanapol Nakwatchara, raised his hands to give him a wai, apparently telling him to leave. The bar manager then walked into the bar and the Turkish man was seen waling behind the bar manger to go inside and the bar manger shot him with the shotgun.

The clip showed the man crawling out and Kabin walking to him and shooting him at close range.

Police also found a pistol at Polot’s waist while Kabin claimed the Turkish man pulled out his .38 revolver, threatening to shoot him. Police later found from the video footage that the revolver belonged to Kabin and it was put into Polot’s hands in a setup as Kabin did not realiz that Polot was also carrying his own pistol.

Phuket:- A Japanese tour guide was found drowned holding to a rock two-meter under the sea at the Kalim Beach in Phuket on Valentine’s Day.

Police believe Hiroshi Yoshiki, 34, committed suicide because his hands were still holding to the rock when his body was found at 1:10 pm on Saturday.

The beach is located in Tambon Patong of Krathu district.

Pol Lt Thawatchai Srimai, an investigator of Krathu police station, said when the Japanese man was found, his legs were pointing to the surface of the water while his hands were in a self-lock to the rock and his head was pointing down.

Thawatchai believed Yoshiki committed suicide because he left his t-shirt, sports trousers, socks, shoes and his tour guide ID card on the rock. The clothes were neatly folded and placed on top of one another. The man was wearing only sports shorts.

Thawatchai said there was no trace of foul play at the scene and on Yoshiki’s body.

When his body was found, he had died about six to eight hours. His body was sent to the Patong Hospital for an autopsy to determine the cause of the death

.

The rocks at the spot were frequented by shore anglers. One of them spotted Yoshiki’s body because the sea was clear. The area is opposite from Soi Phra Baramee 9.

Rescuers from the Kusoltham Foundation had to dive down to unlock his hands from the rock to retrieve the body.

Thawatchai said it was believed the Japanese tour guide arrived at the spot early in the morning and chose the spot and took off his clothes before walked into the sea and dived two-meters down and committed suicide.

Pattaya:–Police have arrested seven scam suspects, comprising six Nigerian men and one Ganaian, following the raid at an apartment building on SoiChalermprakiat 17, Pattaya Third Road, South Pattaya.

The seven suspects are facing the initial charge for illegal entry under the immigration law, pending the completion of the police report on alleged online romance scam.

The scam was detected by the Police Coordination Centre against Transnational Crimes, Chon Buri police commander Maj General NitipongNiamnoi said.

The police investigation found that the seven preyed on Thai womenwho seek love online.

The scammers would hunt through chat rooms, dating sites and social networking sites. They rely on psychological profiling and use any weakness to their advantage.

The victims are single or widower, aged 40 to 60. The scammers would approach victims through social network sites such as friend request in Facebook.

A typical scam would trick the victims with false information portraying the scammers as a rich retiree or high-paying professional and using photographs stolen from good-looking Caucasian males or models.

Before reaching for their wallet, the victims would be led into false believe about huge saving accountand the search for a “last soul mate” to settle down with ahead of retirement.

Nitipong reminded women not to fall prey to illusory love promised by the scammers who would then ask for money to pay for “expenses” deemed necessary in exchange for future gifts or valuables.

He said the suspects used proxy bank accounts to receive money sent by victims.

The six Nigerian men are William ChinwenduNna, 39, Kenneth Ovuegbe, 40, Emmanuel OnydikachiIronmanya, 32, UchechukwuNwaoku, 30, Mater Ukwudu, 26 and UdojiFedelisAnaekwe, 31.

The Ghana man is Kofi Mensah, 37.

Bangkok: - The country’s age group for first sexual experience has dropped from 18-19 to 15-16 years old and the problem of adolescent mothers is on the rise, the Public Health Ministry official said.

“Based on the World Health Organisation report, the country has the second highest number of teenage births among Asean countries,” Dr PanpimolWipulakorn said.

The number of Thai adolescent mothers trail only behind those in Laos.

Of about 800,000 births per year given by young women, 200,000 are from unplanned pregnancies of adolescent mothers, aged 15-19.

The country’s rate for teen pregnancy should be 50 per 1,000 young women. But the present rate is 52 per 1,000 young women. In certain areas, the number leaps to 75 per 1,000.

A worrisome trend is 20 per cent of mothers under the age of 20 have already had repeat pregnancy for the second or third time.

Another concern is the increasing number of adolescent mothers under the age of 15.

The Public Health Ministry has launched awareness campaign designed to lower teen pregnancy.

The campaign is centred on two-prong strategy –ensure the accessibility to condoms and revise sex education to enable the youths to resolve their sexual issues.

“We should accept the fact that we cannot prohibit our children from engaging in sexual activities. What we can do is to give them proper education about sex,” Panpimol said.

In the last month’s survey of 3,000 teenagers, almost one in ten said they would not use condom in casual sex with different partners.

Trang: - A 18-year-old girl whose mother left her shortly after birth got to talk to her for the first time on Valentine’s Day.

Janjira Susakulsing, a resident of Phitsanulok’s Muang district, has been trying for years to locate her mother but her efforts just became successful on Saturday.

In her latest efforts, she posted her story on social network of Trat province as she learned that her mother came from the province. Someone on the network posted her story on Trat TV page on Friday, and 10 hours later the girl’s phone number made it way to her mother, Sunee Sopchoke, 48.

Learning her daughter’s number, she called Janjira who heard the voice of her mother for the first time in her life, according to Naew Na. Both sides shed tears of joy, the paper said. The mother’s calling was witnessed by a Naew Na reporter.

The paper then learned from Sunee that she did not want to abandon her daughter with the father at all. Sunee recounted that after she became pregnant and delivered her baby 18 years ago, the family of her ex-boyfriend would not accept her as their in-law.

She decided to return home in Trang when he daughter was five months old. While she was about to board a bus, the father came to take her girl away. Sunee said she kept the story secret without telling even her mother because she thought she would never have had a chance to meet her daughter again.

Actually, Janjira got her mother’s address from a district office and wrote her a letter on November 22 last year but Sunee’s mother, Tua Sopchoke, 83, put away the letter as she did not know the name of the sender.

The girl said she would work to gather some money to visit her during the summer holidays. She is studying at a university in Phitsanulok.

Bangkok:- Public support is growing for a campaign for the National Legislative Assembly to outlaw possession of child pornographic material.

The campaign for gathering signatures was started on Change.org by the Foundation for Children Protection just six days ago. At press time, the campaign was signed in support by 11,613 online users and it needs 3,387 more signatures.

Although the campaign has not earned enough signatures for submitting the petition to the NLA, the interim chamber has already put the bill to amend the Criminal Code to ban possession of child pornography on its agenda.

The foundation announced that the NLA will deliberate the amendment bill on February 19. The foundation called on members of online networks to share its post about the amendment bill deliberation as a way to pressure the NLA to pass the bill.

The foundation calls on the NLA to enact specific provisions to distinguish child and adult pornography and entirely ban possession of child pornography.

“Thai law does not distinguish child sexual abuse material from adult pornography. The possession of child sexual abuse material is different from the possession of adult pornography. Possession of pornography is legal in Thailand if it is not used for the purposes of trade or distribution. Criminal laws in many other countries distinguish child sexual abuse material apart from adult pornography and provides heavier punishment for the former,” the petition says.

“In addition, having child sexual abuse material for the purposes of trade is considered to be direct exploitation of a child, with sexual abuse of a child being a separate offense from producing child sexual abuse material. Other countries clearly distinguish these offenses in their criminal codes,” it added.

Bangkok:- Khao San Road, a popular hangout zone in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district, will transform itself into a walking street once a month starting from February 28.

There will be some 300 stalls serving delicious food, nice clothes, and various kinds of cheap but interesting fares on the road during the walking-street fanfare. But strictly, organizers of the Khao San Walking Street will not allow any sale of alcohol and counterfeits in the area.

“The walking-street hours will be between 3pm and midnight,” Deputy Bangkok City Clerk Attaporn Suwattanadecha says.

According to him, vendors will be welcome to run their stalls on Khao San Road without having to pay any space fee. If the walking-street event wins warm response, relevant parties may consider organizing it on many more days each month.

At this point, Attaporn is confident that the Khao San Walking Street will be a success just like the Silom Walking Street.

“And we will ensure that the event does not cause any disturbance to local residents,” he says.

Since late last year, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has organized the Silom Walking Street project to stimulate the economy. The Silom Road, which serves millions of office workers on weekdays, thus becomes a walking street for tourists to enjoy between 3pm and midnight every Sunday.

In addition to a variety of goods and food, Silom Walking Street also hosts various kinds of street shows. The atmosphere is lively just like a festival.

Farang passenger strikes back against Thai taxi driver

file photo

Bangkok:- In what was seen as a rare case of striking back by foreign passengers against notorious Thai taxi drivers, an unidentified farang passenger nearly caused a driver to lose the promised fare of Bt400.

According to Naew Na, the taxi driver, who has a Facebook and YouTube account as Uthit Fahmeeta, has posted a video clip and messages on his Facebook wall, recounting the incident.

Uthit said he picked up a farang passenger from the Khao Sarn road on Thursday. He said he started his meter but the tourist told him the meter was not needed as he would pay Bt400 net for the fare. The price included the expressway toll to the Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

Uthit thought it was his lucky day to find a kind-hearted farang passenger.

But when he delivered the western man at the airport, he handed him just Bt40.

Fortunately, police at the airport stepped in to his rescue and the farang man agreed to honor his promise, paying him Bt400.

Fahmeeta is not Uthit’s surname but it is the name of a network of citizen volunteers to report crimes. The Fahmeeta means “The Sky has eyes”. Being a member of this network might be the reason that police believe his story and helped him negotiate with the farang passengers.

Uthit posted a message on his Facebook wall to thank the airport police. He added that the passenger also apologized to him.

Earlier, there have been reports of taxi drivers at Suvarnabhumi airport overcharging foreign passengers and refusing to use meters.

Bangkok: - Thailand’s rice production for this year’s two off-season crops may drop 30 to 50 per cent due to drought impacting on the 2015 export target of 10 million tons.

“Thailand will likely retain the world’s rice market share as No 1 exporter although drought would intensify price competitiveness,” said ChukiatOpaswongkarn, president of Thai Rice Exporters Association.

Based on the recent survey, the first off-season paddy will decrease by 30 per cent and the second crop is projected to drop by 40 to 50 per cent.

The overall off-season production has been revised downward from 3 - 4 million tons to 1-2 million tons, Chukiat said.

The persistence of drought beyond next month might cut down the annual rice production, causing the increase in paddy price, he said.

The price increase has positive and negative effects, he said, noting that this is a boon for the government’s rice stockpile accumulated from the money –losing rice pledging scheme but would erode the competitiveness of Thai rice exports.

He called for the authorities to start mapping out the measures to assist Thai rice exporters in keeping the world’s market share.

Commerce Minister General ChatchaiSarikulya said his ministry has already launched the field survey to assess the drought impacts on paddy production.

The survey is designed for relief measures for farmers who have to cut down the cultivation areas, he said.

The Commerce Ministry will also check on the progress report on rice exports, particularly in the wake of signing a government-to-government agreement for one million tons rice sale with China, he said.

Ayutthaya: The Ayutthaya provincial administration and local administrations will jointly hold the province’s 9th grand Chinese New Year celebration from February 20 to 25.

The event will be held with cooperation among the Ayutthaya provincial administration, the Ayutthaya Administrative Organization, the Muang Ayutthaya Municipality and the Chamber Commerce of Ayutthaya.

Ayutthaya Governor Apichart Todilokvej said the celebration will be held on the Naresuan Road in front of the Muang Ayutthaya Municipality to the Ayutthaya branch of the Government Housing Bank.

A highlight of the event will be the installation of temporary shines of 108 shrines of Chinese gods from 16 districts in the provinces so that tourists can pay respect to all the shrines in one visit for their auspicious new year.

There will also be an international walking street on Soi BAAC and a Miss Chinese pageant. A competition of beautiful Chinese lanterns will also be held as well as competition of parades of the shrines of Chinese gods.

Tourists will also be treated with shows from dancing troupes from several China’s cities, including the dancing troupe from Luoyang, the dancing troupe from Fujian, kangfu show from Tianjin and a show of the Hangchow aerobatics team.

Ayutthaya’s neighboring province will also have a spectacular Chinese New Year celebration on February 19, 20 and 21. The event will be called the 7th Amazing Heavenly Dragon and it will be held at the Heavenly Dragon Museum near the city’s shrine. The organizers said the event will also commemorate 40th anniversary of Sino-Thai relationship.

Bangkok:- Investigators are investigating a lead that oil-based mosquito fogging solution is the likely cause of the February 7 fire at Siam Commercial Bank headquarters, police spokesman said.

“Crime scene investigators found the use of oil-based mosquito solution about 40 minutes before the fire,” Lt General PrawutThavornsiri said, noting the solution should not have been used indoor.

Workers relied on petrol to start the thermal fog machine before spraying oil-based solution on the 11th Floor of the SCB headquarters on Ratchayothin Road, Prawut said, citing the review of security cameras.

Shortly afterward, the fire broke out on the 10th Floor, the storage area for loan documents.

The police spokesman said the blaze had damaged all security cameras installed on the 10th Floor and that investigators have yet to re-enact how the fire started.

Investigators would also have to establish whether workers had entered and sprayed mosquito repellent solution at the scene, he said.

The investigation has already ruled out short circuit as a cause of fire as there was no electrical circuit at the scene, he added.

Doubts and wild speculations linger about possible arson attempt to cover up banking transaction scandal.

A former SCB bank manager is at the centre of the criminal investigation related to the Bt1.6 billion embezzlement at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang.

The SCB headquarters boasts state-of-the art safety equipment and is the showcase of Intelligence Building.

But the fire has exposed serious flaws. Sprinklers failed to work. Automatic lock-down blocked fire-fighters from entering the scene.

One rescue workers died of suffocating, suspected to have caused by the failure of fire-escape ventilation.

Pattaya, Chon Buri:- Thousands of big bikers, most of them farang, joined the first day of the Burapa Pattaya Bike Week Asian Ride Together 2015 Friday.

The event is being s held for two days – Friday and Saturday – at the Eastern Region Stadium on Soi Chaiyaphruek 2.

It has been the 18th event held in Pattaya for groups of big bike lovers in eastern provinces and other parts of the country as well as foreigners to have a get-together, Pattaya Mayor Itthipol Khunpluem said.

The stadium is divided into zones of chopper bikes, classic bikes, American bikes and Indian bikes. There is a zone for selling goods and foods. The organizers also dispatched security officers to guard the area.

Prasarn Niphajee, the chairman of the Burapha Bike Group, said the event this year was held under the “Welcome Home” theme and it was the biggest event so far. He said big bikers from around would feel at home at the event.

He expected that big bikers from around the country and even those from Europe would join the event. Prasarn said he expected that the event would draw more than 50,000 big bikers.

As part of the activities, Itthipol said, thousands of bikers would join a peace ride through several tourist-destinations in the seaside city.

The Pattaya mayor said several groups of big bikes from Europe, America, Asia and Scandinavia had committed to join the event.

Last year, more than 10,000 bikers joined the event and they stayed at hotels and resorts in the seaside city, generating a lot of income for the hotels and tourism businesses there.

Turkish tourist shot dead on Koh Samui

Koh Samui, Surat Thani: A Turkish tourist was shot and killed by a security officer of a pub on the tourist-destination island of Samui early Friday, police said.

The 27-year-old security officer, Kabin Sri-sa-ard, claimed the tourist, ç, was about to open fire at him first so he shot back in self defence.

Pol Col Thewet Pluemsut, commander of Samui police station, said the shooting occurred in front of a popular pub on the main road along the Chawaeng Beach shortly after the pub’s closing time at 2 am.

Kabin told police that the Turkish man came to the pub after it was closed at 2 am and he appeared very drunk sohe refused to allow Forlet to enter the pub, and thus resulting in a quarrel. Kabin said the Turkish man cried foul before leaving.

Shortly later, Kabin recounted, Forlet came back and shouted and pulled out his pistol and pointed the gun at him, prompting him to fire his shotgun at Forlet several times. The Turkish man was killed at the scene.

After the shooting, Kabin waited for police in front of the pub, holding the shotgun in his hand.

Police checked Forlet’s body and found a .38 revolver and 9mm pistol on him. The two guns were fully loaded. Police also found a pocket knife and Bt100,000 in cash on him.

Thewet said police checked Forlet’s background and found that he had several businesses on Koh Samui and he had also been acting like a mafia providing protection to farang on the island.

Thewet said Forlet was notorious for often engaging in quarrels after he became drunk.

Phang Nga: Both Thai and foreign tourists have been flocking to the Similan Islands in Phang Nga following the sighting large Bryde's whales, a park chief and tour boat staff said.

Pongsathorn Chuayphet, a staff of the Love Andaman boat, said both Thais and foreign tourists have been visiting the Similan National Park since late last month – especially during weekends.

He said the Andaman Sea is now enjoying sunny days that enhance the blue sea, and thus making it enjoyable for tourists to dive and snorkeling. Moreover, tourists have recently been treated with sighting of Bryde’s whales swimming about 15 nautical miles from the Similan Islands. Sometimes, the whales swam alongside tourist boats, he said.

Pongsathorn said tourists took video clips and photos of the whales and shared them on social networks, and thus prompting more tourists to visit the islands.

Nat Kong-aksorn, chief of the Similan Islands park, said tourists were also treated with sightings of dolphins while their boats were travelling to the islands.

This year, several tourist boats reported sighting of several Bryde’s whales and dolphins, Nat added.

He said the sighting of the whales in the area was a proof that the Andaman Sea is still clean and environmentally friendly and it is full with plankton.

The sightings of whales and dolphins will bode well for Phang Nga’s tourism, he added.

Last month, a 10-meter-long Bryde’s whale was also spotted swimming near a tourist boat just about 300 meters away from the Surin Islands Park also in Phang Nga, causing a lot of excitement among Thais and foreign tourists.

Bangkok:- In a first judicial decision on the amended alcohol-breath test law, a Bangkok court has ruled to impose the fine of 8,500 baht and a suspended jail term for two years for refusing to take breath test.

The Southern Bangkok Criminal Court cited the guilty plea of ChutimaKanthang, 28, as ground for leniency to commute the original sentencing of 17,000 baht fine and six-month imprisonment.

The amended provisions on driving under influence, in effect as of February 10, have empowered police to classify and prosecute the case as DUI if the driver refuses to the road side test for Breath Analyser.

The prosecution contends that Chutima was presumed drunk due to breath test refusal.

The incident happened one night following the breath test enforcement at a police checkpoint on NaradhiwasRajanagarindra 24 Road, Chong Nonsi, Yannawa, Bangkok.

Citing Chutima’s refusal, police towed the vehicle with the driver inside to Bang PhongPhang Police Station.

The next morning, Chutima stepped out of the vehicle under her own accord and acknowledged her test refusal.

She appeared before the presiding judge in the afternoon and pleaded guilty.

The offence for breath test refusal is punishable by up to one-year jail term and a fine between 10,000 baht and 20,000 baht.

Under the previous law, the penalty is the imprisonment of up to one year and a fine between 5,000 baht and 10,000 baht.

Last year Thailand ranked as the sixth top country in the world for traffic accident, according to the Ministry of Transportation.

Krabi:- A 58-year-old German tourist drowned in a Krabi sea Thursday when he and his son tried to swim to an island that is located about one-kilometer away from the beach, police said.

The tourist was identified as Martin Hofstetter, according to Pol Lt Montha Thongma of Klong Khanan police station in Krabi’s Nua Klong district.

Kriengsak Sudthong, the head of Moo 3 village in Tambon Koh Sriboya, told police that the tourist and his 38-year-old son arrived at the Koh Jam beach on the Ayaza bay on a motorcycle.

They went into the sea immediately and they apparently tried to swim to Koh Singto, which is about one-kilometer away from the beach.

Witnesses told police that when they were about 200 meters from the shore, they were pulled down by a strong current.

Local people on the beach saw them drowning so they rushed out on their kayaks. But when the kayaks reached the two, the father already drowned. The local people could save only the son.

The local people combed the sea bed and found the father’s body. Rescuers of the Santisuk Nua Klong foundation sent the body to the Nua Klong hospital.

Kriengsak said the two were not staying at any resort on the beach but they rode a motorcycle from another area. They did not rent kayaks or inquire about the sea from local resorts so they did not know that there was a strong current in the sea, Kriengsak said.

He said he would consult with local people and the authorities to prevent tourists from drowning in the sea there again.

Chon Buri:- Crimes happen because criminals are greedy. Well, not always.

Police Thursday warned drivers to be careful about a new creative trick, designed for them to lower their guards and allow thieves to enter their vehicles and make off with some valuables.

The warning was issued after an elderly woman, who requested anonymity, filed a complaint with the Muang district police station in Chon Buri Thursday.

According to Maj Nithit Thongdee, an inspector on duty of the station, the woman fell victim to a gang inside the Muang Chon Buri district office.

After she finished her business at the district office, she walked back to her car and entered it. While she was about to start the engine, a young man knocked her window and told her that there were over 100 one-baht coins on the ground where she parked.

The woman might consider this as a windfall, knowingly the coins were not hers, but she came out to pick them up one by one. The kind young man also helped her pick up the coins. Of course, it took many minutes before all the coins were picked up.

She then drove home and 15 minutes after she reached home, she realized that her handbag had gone. It contained a credit card and some Bt15,000 in cash.

Nithit said the woman was apparently lured to leave the unlocked car with the coins for another accomplice to slip in to take away the handbag.

Nithit said Chon Buri police would try their best to locate the thieves. “We would like to warn the people not to fall preys to this kind of trick,” Nithit added.

Bangkok:- Many Thai youths do not like to use condoms and those who use the sheaths often use oversized ones, and thus exposing them to sex-related diseases and HIV, a senior health official said.

Disease Control Department Director General Doctor Sopon Mekthon said Thursday Thai youngster often bought condoms larger than their sizes for fear of being teased by friends and this caused the sheaths to be accidentally slipped out during the act. Their female partners could also risk getting pregnant.

Sopon said most Thai men should stick with the 52mm size and he hopes Thai youths will change their attitude and stop fearing being teased by friends. “They should instead care more about pleasure of their partners,” the department chief added.

He said his department had conducted the 11th survey on the use of condoms among 3,000 respondents who are at least 15 years old from 22 provinces.

The survey founded that only 76.8 per cent of the respondents know how to use the condoms properly to protect themselves, compared to 86.2 per cent of respondents surveyed last year.

Sopon said 6.7 per cent of the respondents said they have never used condoms while 86.2 per cent said they have.

Asked whether they use condoms with non-regular sex partners, 57 per cent of the respondents said they used the sheaths while 35.7 per cent said they used condoms some time while the rest said they have never used the sheaths.

Sopon said 43.5 per cent of the respondents said they felt embarrassed to buy condoms at convenient stores.

Sopon added his department and the National Health Security Office are distributing 55 million good quality condoms to the public at low price to encourage their use.

Bangkok:- Tourists or any people who don’t want uninvited publicity by TV cameras should avoid short-time or love motels on Valentine’s Day as the authorities have been instructed to closely watch the places on the “day of love”.

Apinan Suethanuwong, deputy permanent secretary for Interior Ministry, said he has ordered the provincial governors nationwide to coordinate with government agencies concerned to monitor short-time hotels.

The authorities will monitor whether women, youths or underage people have been lured, deceived or drugged to enter such hotels.

Apinan said managers of such hotels have been ordered to monitor their clients as well. If they spot any child or woman being possibly deceived or drugged at their hotel, they must alert the authorities immediately.

When the authorities are alerted, they will normally rush to the hotel with an army of reporters, including TV camera men. In that scenario, nothing could be concealed from the cameras, a tourist police source advised.

Apinan added that the hotel managers were also instructed to record all the background and details if their clients are younger than 18.

The deputy permanent secretary has also instructed all hotels to check their hotels’ safety system, including fire prevention system and fire exits.

Apinan said the provincial governors have also been instructed to monitor entertainment venues on the Valentine’s Night as children and youths may come out to visit the places and fall victims to social predators.

The people were also urged to call the Damrongtham Hotline at 1567 on around the clock basis if they spot any illegal activity.

Phuket:- The Australian ambassador to Thailand has asked relevant authorities to take good care of Australian tourists in Phuket following complaints from many that local operators of jet-ski rental services have extorted money from them.

Paul Robilliard, the Bangkok-based ambassador, has made the request during his recent meeting with Deputy Bangkok Governor Somkiat Sangkhaosuttirak and Siriporn Tantipanyathep, the head of the Phuket-based Office of Passport Division.

“Please ensure the safety of tourists’ lives and properties. Any claim for damages against the tourists should also be fair,” the Robilliard said on February 10 during his trip to the Thai southern province.

Somkiat reckons that there have been complaints that local operators demanded up to Bt100,000 compensation for damage to their jet skis from some tourists while repair cost should be just around Bt10,000 or Bt20,000.

According to him, about 300,000 Australians visited Phuket last year. The number went down from between 400,000 and 500,000 a year earlier. Phuket is world-famous for its blue sea and nice beach.

“We are now assuring the Australian embassy that we are committed to protecting the rights of Australian citizens here,” Somkiat says.

The deputy governor of Phuket says Robilliard has also asked local authorities to closely monitor if any Australian violates laws in the province.

“He has said that if any Australian engages in illegal activities such as money laundering, drug abuses and transnational crimes, Thai police should alert their Australian counterparts for further legal actions,” he adds.

Bangkok:- A Canadian tourist died when he fell from the 15th floor of a hotel in Bangkok’s Rajdamri area Wednesday morning.

Pol Col Decha Promsuwan, chief investigator of Lumpini police station, said the Canadian apparently committed suicide. He was identified by documents in his hotel room as William Calas James.

Staffs of the well-known hotel, which is located on Soi Mahatlek Luang 1, told police that the tourist fell down at about 9 am. He was staying on the 15th floor.

His body was found in blue t-shirt and grey shorts. His body was sent to the Police Hospital’s Forensic Medicine Institute, pending contact by his relatives.

Jumping from a building seems to be a common means of commuting suicide among male foreigners.

On January 24, Thomas Edward, 70, an American who was a principal of an international school in Bangkok, jumped from the rooftop of an 8-floor condominium on Soi Sukhumwit 71. He had been living in Thailand for 15 years. He left a suicide note, saying he had health problem.

On November 5 2014, a 52-year-old American, Douglas Rex Reinhart, jumped to his death from the 27 floor’s balcony of the View Thalay 6 condominium in Pattaya. He left a suicide note, saying he had run out of money and his passport had also expired. He said he did not want to leave Pattaya.

On March 18, 2014, a 58-year-old American, Nigel Greg, jumped from his room on the 29th floor of Sathorn Garden condominium to the tennis lawn on the sixth floor and was killed.

Chiang Mai:- Police Wednesday rushed to check an erotic-theme garden in Chiang Mai following suggestion on a foreign website that something extraordinary might have been going on there.

But Mae Rim police chief Pol Col Adul Somnuek did not find anything illegal in the garden, owned by Phetcharawan Kamminga, 49 and her Australian husband.

Phetcharawan insisted that her Erotic Garden and Tea House is only a tea house and garden that display arts in form of wooden and concrete sculptures.

She said the headline of an article written by an American photo journalist might cause misunderstanding among online people, prompting them to suspect that there was prostitution at her place.

Petcharawan insisted that all sculptures that are being displayed are erotic-theme arts.

Among the sculptures, there are several giant phalluses and giant breast as well as a sculpture of a woman hugging a phallus.

Phetcharawan told the district police chief that she and husband, who is an archeologist, has been living at the village for years and has gradually designed the garden with a budget of Bt3 million.

Her garden has just been open to tourists on January 9. It is open from 10 am to 5 pm and the entrance fee is Bt50.

Adul said he led his team of police to check the place after learning about it from a website but he did not find any illegal activity. He said the place is not a sex hangout as suspected by some online users.

“It’s just a private place with walls and just a coffee shop. No prostitution or sex activities here,” Adul said.

Trang:- The 19th Trang Underwater Wedding Ceremony will kick off tomorrow for 30 couples who wish to register their marriage in one of the most memorable fashions – deep under the sea.

“Of the couples, most are Thai. But we have also got one couple from China and one couple from India,” Trang Chamber of Commerce’s chairman Salin Totabtiang says.

According to him, the unique ceremony will also include other special activities for the couples. Held under the theme of “Infinity of Love”, the event will run from February 12 to February 14.

As a great diving destination, Trang started hosting the now-famous underwater wedding nearly two decades ago. Over the period, 547 couples from 32 countries across the globe have come to register their marriage in the green water of this Thai southern province.

“Our sea is beautiful and so is our local culture,” Salin says.

Ban Pa Ngam Resort, meanwhile, has vowed to host its 12th Wedding Adventure Ceremony to mark the upcoming St Valentine’s Day even though it has relocated its business from Prachin Buri to Ratchaburi.

Ban Pa Ngam Resort had to close down in Prachin Buri over allegations it encroached on national forest.

“This year, we have chosen to host the event at the Scenery Vintage Farm in Ratchaburi’s Suan Phueng district but with the same old theme,” Ban Pha Ngam Resort’s manager Nattapon Wuttikanakorn says.

He says the event will be held on February 12 and 13 in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

“Three couples will join the adventurous activities like climbing up the 12-metre-high artificial wall and running through a storm of flower petals,” Nattapon says.