BANGKOK - Two gunmen on a motorcycle have shot dead a Buddhist teacher in Thailand's restive Muslim south, the latest casualty in a spate of violence which has claimed over 200 lives since January, police say.

The 49-year-old, who was a principal at an Islamic school, was shot as he was about to start his car parked in school grounds in the province of Pattani, police said.

The shooting came just over a week after an elderly Buddhist man was beheaded at a rubber plantation in nearby Narathiwat province, an incident which heightened fears of sectarian tension between Buddhists and Muslims in the troubled region.

Police declined to speculate on the motive for the killing.

"We are investigating what might have been a motivation," Major General Paitoon Pattanasopon, head of the Pattani provincial police, told Reuters.

Read full story Reuters

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - The bodies of two Japanese journalists who were killed in Iraq last month were brought Sunday to Bangkok for cremation and Buddhist funeral rites.

Photojournalist Shinsuke Hashida and his nephew, journalist Kotaro Ogawa, who lived in Bangkok before they went to Iraq, were to be cremated Monday night at a Buddhist temple, the Japanese Embassy said in a statement.

Hashida, 61, and Ogawa, 33, were killed in a May 27 ambush south of Baghdad.

Their bodies were moved on a commercial flight from Kuwait, accompanied by Hashida's wife, Yukiko, among others.

"I am very thankful to the government of Thailand and also the Buddhist people for accepting our wishes to have the cremation in Thailand," Yukiko told reporters at the Bangkok International Airport.

The embassy said she and other family members have asked the media to give them privacy during the funeral and not to enter the temple grounds with cameras.

Hashida - one of Japan's top freelance combat photographers - was on his fifth trip to Iraq, this time reporting for the daily tabloid Nikkan Gendai.

Source: Brunei-Online

BANGKOK: Thailand's economic growth slowed to 6.5 percent in the first quarter of 2004, triggering a one percentage point cut in the full-year forecast to 6.0-7.0 percent, according to official data.

The year-on-year result was sharply lower than the 7.8 percent growth recorded in the last three months of 2003, due to various negative factors including bird flu, drought, high oil prices and unrest in the Muslim south.

The National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) said that despite the lower-than-expected result the Thai economy remained robust.

"The economy is still strong despite the bird flu crisis and unrest in three southern provinces which had a limited effect on the overall economy," NESDB chief Chakramon Phasukvanich said.

Read full story Channel News Asia

Thailand's likelihood of buying a 30 percent stake in English Premiership giants Liverpool has faded markedly since the kingdom abandoned plans to finance the deal through a public lottery, analysts and observers said.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra gave his assurance at the weekend that Thailand's 100-115 million dollar bid for the fabled club was still on the table despite scrapping the 10-billion-baht (245.9-million-dollar) lottery.

"As of today the negotiation with Liverpool is still on," Thaksin said in his weekly radio address, just days after hinting at a collapse when he said "we don't even know whether we will buy the Liverpool stake".

But an about face in public sentiment, criticism from Thaksin's trusted advisors, recent focus on the club's financial woes, and claims that the bid has already served its purpose fuel conjecture that the deal is all but dead on the pitch.

"It's probably less definite now than it was two or three weeks ago," Bangkok Post sports editor Roger Crutchley told AFP.

"Before they were sounding very confident and now the prime minister is saying we'll have to wait and see. It's possible they might be having second thoughts."

Thailand's Liverpool fan club founder Boonchai Mongkolratanakorn said the country's chances of acquiring a stake in the club had suffered a major setback.

Read the full story Servihoo.com

PATTAYA 06/06/2004


At 27th May 2004, a group of Special Police Forces went on to arrested a shop owner Mr. Prapong Terkjanda,26 years old for selling copy sex materials.

From the questioning of inspector Police Captain Chaiyagritt Tonginn of Pattaya Police Station, Mr. Prapong admitted ‘many of young customers of men and women come to buy his fake product regularly. He brought the products from Jatujak’s Market in Bangkok and sale them here in Pattaya city inside the Royal Garden Plaza and named Condom World Store’. Mr. Prapong was arrested with many evident of copy sex materials for men and women.

PATTAYA 06/06/2004



At 03:00am, 2nd June 2004, Tourist Police Pattaya City lead by Police Captain Jerawat Sukontrap, arrested three gays (Katoy’s) known as Mr. Nidnoy Pala, 22 years old, Mr. Virapong Seansuk, 26 years old and Mr. Somwang Kerngtaisong, 23 years old, captured at room 211 in Newstar Hotel, Central Pattaya, arrested for snatch and run.

A “good” citizen was reported the crime mentioned that three gay men has taken a foreigner to the Newstar Hotel at room 211 acting strongly, so decided to followed them to the room. When reached the room 211, three gay men was running away from the room carried a mobile phone and seem to by in a hurry. The police were arrived at the hotel manage to capture and arrested the three gays.

From questioned, three gay men admitted of trying to snatches the foreigner’s goods known as Mr. Noel Douglas Ciller, 48 years live in Swaziland. The police arrested them with evident of a Sony-Ericsson T610 and a fake gold chain (weight 5 baht) which Mr. Noel told the police he brought the chain for only 750 Baht for fooling the katoys. The police kept the gay men in the station and charged them for snatch and run.


(Sorry for the English, it is the original text)Pattaya.com

08/06/2004 Bangkokpost

The Fisheries Department has registered a recently discovered species of unionid mussels and named it according to the location of discovery.

The name ``Solenaia Khwaenoiensis'' has been suggested by the department's chief, Sitthi Boonyarattahapalin.

The mussels were found in late April in the Khwae Noi riverbed by re-searchers of the Khwae Noi dam project studying aquatic life for the project's environmental impact assessment study.

The biology department of Chulalongkorn University's faculty of science has confirmed its uniqueness.

The discovery will be published in the university's Natural History Journal.

After the rhetoric, here comes the truth

Chiang Mai, Nopniwat Krailerg

Chalermsak Suranant, director of TAT, Northern Office, Region 1, admitted that the TAT is concerned after the National Geographic Traveler magazine March 2004 issue ranked the world’s 115 tourist sites into three categories: The Good, Not So Bad and Getting Ugly, and placed Chiang Mai and Phuket in the latter category (Getting Ugly).

Chiang Mai was ranked 29 out of 37 and the negatives included the environment, the negative change of the Chiang Mai socio-cultural structure and poor tourism management.

Read full story Chiangmai-Mail

Authorities in Thailand are cracking down on a thriving black-market trade in flesh-eating piranha fish.

Nearly 500 piranhas have been seized during raids in the past year.

Officials are warning the South American species could pose a public danger if released into Bangkok's waterways.

It is a long way from the Amazon to the mighty Chao Phraya River that courses around Bangkok.

Locals were on the lookout after reports the world's most notorious species of fish, the South American piranha, was making itself at home in the city's waterways.

Alas, it turned out to be another proverbial fishing story, big on exaggeration, light on for substance.

The story began when authorities expressed the real fear that collectors of exotic fish may well release piranha stock in a crackdown in the trade on illegal species. Nearly 500 have been netted this part year.

Thailand's fisheries boss, Jaranthada Karnasuta, says most collectors are a sadistic bunch.

"I think there are certain people, they like the violent habits of this fish," he said.

Most of the trafficking is done at the capital's weekend market, which is a notorious centre for trade in all kind of illegal species.

The piranha is not on show, but a shopkeeper promised he could supply the fish in bulk for more than $200 each.

When I told him I thought that was expensive he replied: "That's not expensive, I bought one for 25,000 bhat."

That is close to $1,000 for a fish. Other shopkeepers were just as happy to oblige.



Back on the water, local children having an afternoon swim were dismissive of official concern about piranhas, claiming the Chao Phraya is simply too polluted for the fish to survive. In fact, the truth is quite the reverse.

"These fish can breed all year around in Thailand. Also we believe if we let it in our national water it will spread quite well and rapidly," Mr Jaranthada said.

So those who bathe and swim in Bangkok's waterways can only hope piranha collectors keep their nerve.

At Central Wong Rmart, Pattaya. Mr. Suchart Suchartwechpuum, President of Public Relation discussed the agenda in the new plan of attracting foreigners business men and women to start their own businesses in Thailand.

The agenda was to promote Thailand to other countries. The promotion can be broadcasting thru radio stations, televisions and internet. Some advertising can be prints as posters. The idea is to giving direction to foreigners and tourists want to do businesses in Thailand. It would create a new relationship between Thailand and the other countries in the world of business.
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- Editor input -
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It is also not a bad idea that Mr. Suchart Suchartwechpuum and his office made the rules for foreign ownership more clear. From personal experience I know that if you ask 20 people about the rules you get 20 different answers.

If you think that a gay wedding is something different, take a look at this. I hope this Buffalo couple will not sue the government for TAX cuts.

"A village elder, right, takes part in a rehearsal yesterday for the ‘wedding’ of two buffaloes scheduled for Saturday in Chiang Mai’s Hang Dong distric."

A new comedy film that pokes fun at Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his family may have gone too far by using a comedian with Down Syndrome to play the premier’s son.

" Personal I look forward to see this new comedy "

Light airplane makes emergency landing in cassava field,

Jacques Warnez (center) walks away from his aircraft shortly after crash landing it in a cassava field just outside of Pattaya.

The pilot of a four-seater aircraft and his passenger escaped serious injury after making an emergency landing in a cassava field in Nongtaroon, Pong sub district located east of Pattaya on Sunday afternoon.

Apparently the engine stalled in mid air and the pilot, Jacques Warnez, was forced to make an emergency landing. The cassava field soil was too soft after the recent rains, and the front wheel was planted firmly in the dirt bringing the plane to a sudden stop.

The aircraft had taken off from the Bangpra airfield earlier that day. Suchada Intanar, the only passenger, broke her left arm and sprained her legs; Warnez received minor cuts and bruises. Suchada was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and was reported to be in satisfactory condition.



Warnez has a pilot’s license and membership card to the civil aviation club. Police recorded the details of the accident pending queries as to the cause.

(c) Boonlua Chatree, source: Pattaya Mail

Dangerous dengue hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Chiang Mai

Symptoms to look out for, especially in children

Public health officials have issued a warning of an outbreak of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF).

Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a severe, often fatal, complication of dengue fever, a flu-like viral disease spread by mosquitoes.



The Chiang Mai Public Health Office has so far recorded one death from DHF: a resident of San Patong district who was reported to have died last month. San Patong district has 10 patients suffering from DHF, Chiang Dao has nine and Mae Rim seven patients. Another 61 patients in Muang district have been diagnosed. Public Health Office statistics for the period from February 3 to June 16 show that sixty percent live in municipal areas.

"Dengue hemorrhagic fever is very dangerous and in children can be fatal," the Health Office warns. "Between five and eight days after being infected by the common house mosquito, they develop high temperatures for between two days to a week. They also display symptoms of severe headaches, muscle and joint pains, pain behind the eyes, stomach cramps and vomiting."

With DHF, some children might have nosebleeds and develop rashes on their bodies. DHF patients usually have red faces and similar symptoms of fever without coughing and running noses. Some patients who are at an advanced stage of the infection may also go into shock.

While their temperature may be speedily reduced, they will be depressed, tired, and some may even have internal bleeding.

Patients with severe symptoms should be taken to hospital for urgent treatment, without which they could die within 12-24 hours. Children who have a fever above 38.5 degrees Celsius and suspected of being infected should also be rushed to hospital. In case of high temperature, parents should use wet towels to wipe their children’s bodies and get them to drink large volumes of water.

During this time, people are advised to empty out any containers of standing water, as these are the breeding grounds for the mosquito. A good quality repellant containing DEET is also advisable, as are long trousers and long sleeved shirts.

Nopniwat Krailerg, (c) Chiang Mai Mail

Tourists say shops great, walkways bad

Abundant prostitutes, dirty beach and seawater, garbage problems and rampant overcharging by tuk-tuk and taxi drivers are spoiling the charm of Patong beach, according to a survey by eight local hoteliers.

Many tourists found the quality of seawater at Patong beach was poor and the beach was dirty. Sex workers also put some people off, said Apichart Arsa, manager of the Phuket Grand Tropicana hotel.

The survey, conducted among 1,000 hotel guests between November last year to February this year, was financed by eight leading hotels including Phuket Grand Tropicana, Novotel Coralia, Horizon Beach, Patong Merlin Resort, Merlin Beach Resort, Holiday Inn Resort, Burasari Resort and Impiana Cabana. Tourists were asked what they liked or disliked about Patong. Many tourists said they were impressed with the hospitality of local residents. They liked to go to the beach as it was good for shopping and they could find many entertainment venues.

However, the beach was getting dirtier and so was the seawater, they said. The walkways were dangerous. They also complained about fare overcharging by tuk-tuk and taxi drivers.

Mr Apichart said the feedback from tourists would be sent to local authorities. Patong beach is under the jurisdiction of Patong municipality. An executive of the municipality said he could not make any commitment about development plans for the beach as the Election Commission had yet to endorse the voting results of a recent municipality election.
Source: Achathaya Chuenniran (c) BangkokPost

Smitten, bitten youth arrested on rape claim


Holding a bag containing a piece of tongue, the 17-year-old girl, hooded, points to Kriangkrai Khoniewklang, left, saying she bit it off when he tried to rape her. Sitting in the middle is the girl's mother.

A 19-year-old youth who lost an inch of his tongue to the sharp teeth of a girl he allegedly tried to rape has been arrested.

Kriangkrai Khoniewklang, a scrap vendor from Suphan Buri's Doem Bang Nang Buat district, was detained by police yesterday at a construction workers' camp in tambon Prachathipat, in Pathum Thani's Thanyaburi district.

Speaking with difficulty with his injured tongue, Mr Kriangkrai said he had fallen in love with the girl, a 17-year-old Mathayom 5 student, but she had shown no interest in him.

On Tuesday night, he offered the girl a ride back home on his motorcycle along Soi Sirikasem 1 off Phetkasem road in Bang Khae district.

On the way, he said he stopped and dragged the girl into bushes by the roadside, intending to rape her. On trying to kiss her, she bit off the end of his tongue.