VERY LATEST NEWS FROM THAILAND in English (27 July 2023) from Fabulous 103fm Pattaya
– 6-day long national holiday starts tonight
The reminder for all that the 6 days of national holidays kick off tonight at midnight, traffic is expected to be heavy from today midday onwards and all government offices, along with utility companies and major businesses will close. Stores, malls and eateries of course remain open. Tuesday and Wednesday will be dry days with a full ban on alcohol sales in any form being in effect for all businesses with the exception of airport duty free.
– Human remains found at sports arena
Builders installing new drainage at a Nakhon si thammarat sports arena were stunned when the diggers dug up.. human remains. Seems locals had long forgotten that about a century ago, the spot had been.. a graveyard. Plans were afoot this week to remove the remains to a more suitable location.
– Thai-Aussie narcotics trafficking operation sees 20 investigations in Thailand
Task force storm, an operation established jointly between South East Asian countries and Australian police has seen 20 investigational operations in Thailand, 6 concluded with seizures and arrest and 14 continuing currently according to the Royal Thai police in a statement this week. 55 arrests are listed along with 13 persons with outstanding warrants in either country being apprehended. Close to 13 and a half TONS of illegal substances have been seized, over 1 BILLION bahts worth and the agreement between the countries, due to expire, has been extended for a further 2 years.
– ‘Faulty plate’ blamed for Thai airport moving walkway accident
The Airports of Thailand Plc has issued its findings into the accident which saw a Thai lady lose a leg whilst using a moving walkway at Don muang airport last month. As suspected, it has now been confirmed that a walkway section came adrift from its runners, leaving a huge gap into which she fell. With an on site amputation necessary NO ONE has answered the question as to why the walkway couldn’t be reversed to free her. That aside, all 20 walkways were stitched off during the investigation carried out by AOT, along with team members from the ministry of transport and independent engineers. Maintenance services have and will be evaluated and amended despite reports that they had been maintained regularly by a contracted supplier.. Meanwhile the airport general manager has been replaced.
– Thailand returns 400 million baht to Chinese authorities following scams
Thailand has transferred 400 Million baht to Chinese authorities following the conclusion of investigations into a Chinese online scam operation, closed down last year in the capital. The money was seized during arrests and held as evidence, but has now been sent on in the hope that it will be refunded to those duped by the scammers.
– Monkey business takes over Petchaburi
And monkey business in Petchaburi is causing ructions amongst locals who complain that the local monkey population is expanding at such a great rate that they are leaving local parks, scavenging instead from homes and businesses. Protected by wildlife laws, they can’t be exterminated, but as prolific breeders, their number have risen to a point where locals are meshing up their windows and homesteads and the provincial governor has his head in his hands, as no one has any idea how to resolve the matter.
– ‘Do gooders’ group tarket Pattaya bars using minors with fake ID’s
Meanwhile at home and in Pattaya, the owner of several girlie bars, along with an online media company, had gone public with a complaint against a so called DO GOODERS Group which, he claims, have targeted many bars and gogos, in some cases encouraging young girls to use fake ID to get work and then encouraged a police raid. The American based group, sponsored by numerous US religious groups, is said to be paying the organisers a HUGE salary from donations and has received complaints from other venues globally. Claiming that they SAVE the girls they find, reality is that the girls appear to have NOT been saved but chosen to return to the streets and bars. A huge concern for bar operators is that of confirming the identity of staff. Whilst ID copies are usually kept on record, many girls have in the past used other family members ID cards to fake their way into work. Pattaya and national police are investigating as they must, following a complaint, however the complaining bar owner, along with many others, insist that they do everything in their power to block those below legal working age and fire any found to have faked their way in. Customers in any location who think that they may be being entertained by minors are best advised to leave as they too are subject to arrest if true and with hundreds of venues operating legitimately, it’s no more than a few steps to a legally operating one. And the reminder is in place that in the event that businesses flaunt the law, managers, owners, and staff, along with customers are subject to arrest
– Former Pattaya mayor blamed for Waterfront condo fiasco
The National Anti-Corruption Organization , investigating the Waterfront condo building fiasco, has laid claim to fault by former Pattaya Mayor Khun Itthiphol Khunpluem, currently a government minister. The issue is regarding the issuance of building permits by city hall DURING his tenure and, as far as we are aware, the former mayor has yet to be proven to be implicated in those issues, made by permanent civil servants and NOT his office. Ittipol was a very popular mayor here , instigating not only the development of the city but also the change from seedy city of dens of iniquity, to a tourist destination popular with domestic and foreign tourists. During his tenure he assisted numerous businesses with advice and help, especially at the start of the coup, all given freely. But the controversial condo building has become a major issue here, with the previous mayor promising to raise it to the ground, and charge the owners, the developers disappearing and declaring insolvency and claims that it encroaches on public land, a matter open to dispute AND is too high. The chances are that at some point it will be finished, perhaps shoterned, as the cost of demolition would be massive . The NACC case has been forwarded to a court to allow defendants to cross examine the claim.
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