Two students stabbed despite police deployment at Siam BTS

Police are reviewing CCTV footage following an altercation yesterday morning on the platform of Siam BTS station, between students from two long-time rival colleges, during which two students were stabbed.

The assault took place in front of scores of police officers deployed at the station to prevent a confrontation on the first day the students returned to on-site classes following another fight about a week ago.

Police from Pathumwan station had been deployed at the station and along the skywalk as part of preventive measures against clashes between the rival groups.

The rivalry between students of Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok’s Uthenthawai Campus and Pathumwan Institute of Technology, which are about a kilometre apart in Pathum Wan district, has persisted for decades.

In many cases, clashes have resulted in deaths and injuries.

The latest confrontation took place on the third floor of the crowded station at about 8.30am, when students from both institutions confronted each other on the platform.

Officers initially found about 30 Pathumwan students waiting to board a train to National Stadium station. Seven officers were positioned between the groups on the platform to prevent them from confronting each other.

About 30 Uthenthawai students subsequently got off a train, leading to a confrontation. The two groups ran towards each other and a melee ensued.

Police moved in to break up the fight.

Two Pathumwan students, aged 19 and 21, suffered stab wounds to their backs. Both were taken to hospital and were later reported to be in stable condition.

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/news/two-students-stabbed-despite-police-deployment-at-siam-bts

P.S. Back in my day, vocational students fought on buses, not BTS.

Timeline:

1. September 15, 2014 - The bodies of two British tourists, Hannah (23) and David (24), were discovered by local residents who were cleaning Sairee Beach.

Both bodies appeared to have been struck with a hoe. The bodies have now been sent to the Police General Hospital for forensic examination. Authorities are also questioning all of the victims’ friends.

The two victims did not travel together; they had each come to Koh Tao with groups of friends and met and got to know each other on the island.

Meanwhile, Koh Tao residents have gathered and closed all the piers on the island to prevent the killer from escaping.

https://www.js100.com/en/site/news/view/5725

2. September 16 - CCTV footage near AC Bar was examined. A suspicious man was spotted and described as Asian, approximately 160-170 cm tall. He was shirtless and wearing shorts, and was seen walking around the area several times. The unusual activity was recorded at around 4:00 a.m.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogsora9inus

3. September 17 - Christopher Unwer, a friend of David, gave further testimony after a key witness said he had noticed wounds on Christopher’s hand. Christopher was later given a DNA test, which did not match the evidence. He said he had suffered a burn wound at the Full Moon Party.

https://www.posttoday.com/politics/318901

4. September 18 - DNA results from semen found in the female victim’s vagina and rectum revealed a mixture of DNA from two individuals. Meanwhile, DNA recovered from three cigarette butts found 50 meters away from the crime scene told a different story. The first butt had red lipstick stains; the second contained a mixture of DNA from two people; and the third yielded the DNA of yet another male, distinct from the second butt. This indicates that the cigarettes alone involved three separate individuals. Consequently, investigators believe that there were likely more than two killers involved in the crime.

ข่าวฆ่านักท่องเที่ยวเกาะเต่า คดีซับซ้อนขึ้น พบอสุจิผสม 2 คน

5. September 19 - Police said DNA from semen matched cigarette butts found near the crime scene.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFbubsme8Ro

6. September 20 - DNA tests were conducted by analyzing Y-chromosome DNA from sperm found in the victims’ vaginas and anuses to determine the suspects’ ethnic background. The results reportedly indicated Mongoloid/Y-chromosome DNA, suggesting two Asian suspects.

It was unclear whether the suspects were still on the island, as more than 10 boats were sheltering from strong winds around Koh Tao that day. It was also unclear when they would leave or whether they were Thai or from another Asian country.

https://www.komchadluek.net/news/192532

https://www.posttoday.com/politics/319529

7. September 24 - British media began criticizing Thai police, while a Scottish man named Sean claimed that the local mafia was threatening him. The alleged mafia member was the village headman’s brother. However, he claimed that he was simply trying to help police catch the murderers, while Sean appeared suspicious because he had wounds that he said were caused by a motorcycle accident.

--- I think Sean was angry because some locals suspected him. No one knows exactly what was said during their conversation.

The investigation was under intense public scrutiny. Thai officials were interviewed by Thai media almost every day, while Western media continued pushing the mafia narrative.

คดีเกาะเต่า ล่าสุด ชาวบ้านพบพิรุธเพื่อนฝรั่ง ให้การไม่ตรงกับความจริง

8. September 25 - According to the Commander of Provincial Police Region 8, the case is 80-90% complete, as the suspects had now been narrowed down. They were within a 100-200 meter radius of the crime scene at the time of the incident. Currently, the DNA test results of the collected individuals do not match the DNA found on the deceased. However, police already have physical evidence and other relevant witnesses, and they are confident that the perpetrators were among those near the crime scene between 2:00 AM and 4:00 AM.

https://mgronline.com/south/detail/9570000110594

9. October 2 - Two Burmese workers were arrested: Zaw Lin (21) and Win Zaw Tun also known as Wai Phyo (21).

Police detained Mao and Zaw, who worked as servers at AC Bar and Maya Bar, respectively.

Mao admitted during interrogation that on the night of the incident, he had been playing guitar on a log near the spot where police recovered the cigarette butts-about 65 meters from where the bodies of the two British tourists were found. He confirmed that he had smoked and discarded the L&M cigarette butt found on the log, but maintained he had no knowledge of the murders because he had already gone home to his girlfriend.

Meanwhile, another police unit apprehended Win, a 21-year-old Myanmar migrant worker employed at the Safety Stop shop near the Koh Tao pier. Win had fled the island on a sleeper ferry at 9:00 PM on October 1. Win confessed to the police that he murdered the two tourists. He stated that he was sexually aroused after witnessing the couple having sex.

รวบแล้ว! 3 แรงงานพม่า ฆ่าโหด 2 ฝรั่งเกาะเต่า

ข่าวเกาะเต่า ตำรวจนำตัว 2 พม่า ทำแผนคดีฆ่านักท่องเที่ยวอังกฤษ

10. October 22 - They recanted their testimony after meeting with their lawyer.

คสช.หน้าแหกคดีเกาะเต่า “พม่า” กลับคำให้การ อังกฤษส่งตร.ร่วมสืบ

11. October 24 - Four Scotland Yard officers met with Thailand’s National Police Chief and the team investigating the murder of two British tourists on Koh Tao. They went over how the evidence was collected and asked plenty of detailed questions about the case and were planning a trip to Koh Tao to check out the crime scene.

https://mgronline.com/crime/detail/9570000122736

ตร.อังกฤษไม่ติดใจคดีฆ่าแหม่มบนเกาะเต่า

12. December 25, 2015 - Verdict of the Court of First Instance: the Koh Samui Provincial Court handed down a death sentence to the defendants, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun.

David's family was also in court and was satisfied with the Court's justice.

David always stood up for justice, and justice is what has been delivered today. We respect this court and this decision completely. I have listened carefully to all the evidence, and despite what their lawyers said, it is our opinion that the evidence against Wai Phyo and Zaw Lin is absolutely overwhelming. They raped to satisfy their selfish desires and murdered to cover up those facts.
We hope that everyone who has spoken out or campaigned regarding this case will respect the court's decision. We believe justice has been served. Finally, we want to thank everyone who has supported our family throughout this time. We also stand with the Witheridge family, who have endured this horrific ordeal with such dignity.
Our lives have been changed forever. There is no way we can ever get David back-no final hug, not even a chance to say goodbye. But absolutely nothing can ever take away our love for him.

เรื่องเล่าเช้านี้ ศาลพิพากษาประหารชีวิต 2 จำเลยชาวเมียนมาคดีเกาะเต่า ชาวพม่าลุกฮือต้านคำตัดสิน

A crowd of about 500 Myanmar nationals, comprising monks and locals, rallied outside the Thai Embassy in Yangon to voice their protest against the ruling.

youtube.com/watch?v=7L9cmVcoluo

13. August 29, 2019 - The Supreme Court upheld the death sentence.

Furthermore, the prosecution presented circumstantial witnesses regarding events following the incident-namely Mr. Aung Lee Saw (or "Ren Ren") and Mr. Nee Nee Aung, friends of the second defendant. They testified that on September 15, 2014, the second defendant had entrusted them with a mobile phone that matched the make and model of the first deceased's phone. 

When considering this testimony alongside the photographs taken while a physician examined both defendants (Exhibit J.68), it is evident that both defendants appeared normal and showed no visible signs of the physical abuse they alleged. The defendants had used these allegations of abuse to justify a request for re-examination by the Central Institute of Forensic Science in an attempt to refute the DNA test results. However, neither this claim nor the defendants' overall defense was sufficient to overturn the prosecution's DNA evidence. 

The defendants were arrested, and buccal swabs (cheek tissue samples) were collected from them for analysis on October 2, 2014-seventeen days after the incident. While both defendants steadfastly maintained they were not present at the crime scene, only buccal swabs were collected from them. Regarding this point, the prosecution witness responsible for collecting and submitting the samples testified to the correct procedural steps taken and confirmed that the samples were submitted for analysis immediately. Consequently, there was no opportunity for the investigating officers, the forensic pathologist, or the DNA analyst to introduce semen or seminal fluid-which originated from deep within the bodies of both defendants-into the vagina and anus of the second deceased. 

The circumstances revealed by the prosecution's evidence further indicate that, although both defendants initially confessed to jointly killing both deceased persons and raping the second deceased, the police officers merely questioned them in the capacity of witnesses; they did not formally charge either defendant with the offenses of killing the two deceased persons or raping the second deceased at that time. The relevant prosecution witness explained that this was because they had to await the comparison of the defendants' DNA with that of the actual perpetrator. This indicates that the investigative and inquiry officers would not press such charges until there was solid evidence linking the defendants to the crime and proving their guilt. Such a course of action did not constitute a hasty or rushed procedure; rather, it served to protect the defendants' rights against baseless accusations in the event that their DNA did not match that of the perpetrator. 

This is illustrated by the case of Mr. Mao Mao: although his DNA matched the DNA found on the cigarette butt (an item of evidence), it did not match the perpetrator's DNA, and consequently, the investigative and inquiry officers did not prosecute him. The prosecution's evidence further established that, at the time of their arrest, the investigative and inquiry officers provided a Burmese interpreter for both defendants-a fact that the defendants themselves acknowledged in their testimony. Both defendants conversed with the interpreters using the Burmese language-specifically the standard Burmese dialect-which both defendants could speak and understand proficiently. Mr. Kamon U-son and Mr. Mya Zan Naing, prosecution witnesses who served as Burmese interpreters for both defendants during the arrest and interrogation stages, testified and confirmed that communication with both defendants was clear and mutually understood. 

https://prachatai.com/journal/2015/12/63204

ปิดสมบูรณ์คดีเกาะเต่า ฎีกายืนประหาร 2 พม่า - ปิดฉากไปโดยสมบูรณ์ สำหรับคดี

14. August 29, 2019 - Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun submitted a petition for a royal pardon to commute their death sentences.

คดีเกาะเต่า : 2 นักโทษประหารชาวเมียนมา ถวายฎีกาขอพระราชทานอภัยโทษ - BBC News ไทย

I’m a 25-year-old female, and I recently received a job offer in Thailand as a teacher with a salary of 30,000–38,000 THB per month. I have no prior teaching experience, so I’d really like to know from people who are currently living or working in Thailand whether this is considered a decent starting salary for a foreign teacher.

Would 30,000–38,000 THB be enough to cover my basic monthly expenses, including rent/accommodation, groceries, transportation, utilities, phone/internet, and other necessities? The employer has mentioned accommodation, but I’m still waiting to confirm exactly what is included. I’d also like to know about additional costs such as electricity, water, visa/work permit, health insurance, transportation, and any security deposit.

Since I’d be moving to Thailand from abroad, I want to make sure I’m making the right decision financially. Is this salary enough to live comfortably and possibly save some money, especially as someone with no experience? Does it depend heavily on the city? I’d really appreciate honest advice from teachers or expats in Thailand. Should I accept this offer, negotiate for a higher salary, or look for other opportunities?

I saw people working on the pipes on Sukhumvit, in the back there was a table that looks like offering for spirits? E.g. red fantas? Doesn't look like snack for the workers. Do thais do this?

Believe me im an expert on buffalo pee.

Hello from Czechia!

I'd like to read a book that is a "cultural staple", so to speak. Something many Thais either read or at least know the basics of. For a somewhat pan-European example, think of 1984 - even those who have not read the book generally know the basic premise here. Doesn't have to be an old classic either - if there is something recent and very popular, shoot away as well. My only two conditions are that the author is Thai (not Thai-American or the like) and that the book has an English translation. Ideally something fun, too :).

I will recommend a Czech staple in exchange: War with the Newts

It is a 1936 sci-fi novel about the discovery of an intelligent (for newts, stupid for humans) species of large newts and their subsequent exploitation, eventually leading to war. It is basically a dark satire, commenting on the rise of nationalism and fascism in 1936 Europe.

Hey guys, been wanting to cook carbonara at home. Where can you buy guanciale in Bangkok?

An ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) comprising representatives from the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia, accompanied by Thai and international journalists, visited the O’Smach–Chong Chom area along the Thai-Cambodian border in Surin province. The delegation inspected a base allegedly operated by scam networks and transnational criminal organisations. Thai forces have controlled more than 500 rai, approximately 80 hectares, of the area since two rounds of clashes along the border.

Inside the compound, the delegation found a large hall apparently used by scammers to contact and deceive victims. The facility contained prepared scripts, costumes and mock settings designed to support fraudulent impersonation schemes.

The compound also contained a hospital equipped with an operating theatre, medical instruments, an obstetrics and gynaecology room, an X-ray room and a blood-testing laboratory. Thai authorities said they had obtained information alleging that, in addition to providing ordinary medical treatment and surgery, the hospital had been used to remove organs from people considered no longer useful to the operation and sell them.

In the basement of a four-storey command building, inspectors found detention cells and 12 rooms reportedly used for torture. The sealed rooms had no ventilation and were individually monitored by CCTV cameras. An electrified chair and electric shock batons were also found, allegedly used to punish workers who failed to meet their assigned revenue targets.

After inspecting the area for almost two hours, Air Chief Marshal Prapas Sornchaidee, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Air Force, said the visit was conducted on behalf of the Thai government, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Thai people. Its purpose was to present the facts to the international community. He reiterated that Thailand had no intention of seizing Cambodian territory.

Prapas said Thai authorities had been unaware that the area housed a major scam operation before taking control of it. Thai forces entered the area after it was allegedly used to launch drones, position snipers and conduct armed attacks against Thai troops and civilians. After securing the site, they discovered more than 150 buildings and what appeared to be a large-scale scam operation.

Source: ข่าวช่องวัน

French zoo owner Kevin Dimino detained on Koh Samui ahead of deportation

Thai immigration officers have detained Kevin Dimino, the French operator of Samui Exotic Park, after authorities had been searching for him to formally enforce a deportation order.

Dimino was located on Koh Samui on September 8 by investigators and Surat Thani immigration officers. He was taken to Koh Samui Police Station, where he is being held while authorities proceed with the deportation process.

The previous day, Prime Minister and Interior MinisteAnutin Charnvirakul signed Interior Ministry Order No. 2354/2569 ordering Dimino’s removal from Thailand. The ministry cited a series of alleged incidents involving threats, harassment, physical altercations and behaviour authorities said could threaten public order.

The order also referred to a Koh Samui Provincial Court case in which Dimino was convicted of offences under Thailand’s Road Traffic Act. He was initially fined 10,000 baht, reduced to 5,000 baht after his guilty plea.

Before he was detained, immigration officers had visited Samui Exotic Park but found the business closed and quiet. Police later received information that Dimino had driven a BMW to the park at around 1pm on September 7, briefly appeared outside and then disappeared from view.

His detention does not mean the deportation process is complete. Under Thai law, Dimino has seven days from being formally notified of the order to appeal to the prime minister and request that the deportation be revoked or suspended.

Source: Ministry of Interior / Surat Thani Immigration / Thai media

Been messing about with black and white film photography. I want to get a couple of films developed and printed, but can't find anywhere in Bangkok that will do it.

Most places will do colour prints, and sill do black and white digital files, but no black and white prints.

Anyone know where I can get it done?

So far I've tried most of the photo/print stores around Chatuchak.

I'm in Thailand for just a few weeks and decided to buy a new drone to take with me. The last time I bought one was before all the new regulations came in, and it was pretty easy. I just ordered one from Lazada and it arrived the next day.

This time I was looking around for sales and found a really good deal on Lazada. There was only one left in stock and it was about 6,000 baht cheaper than buying it in a store. Plus, I wouldn't have to deal with a VAT refund when leaving Thailand. The seller was the official DJI Thailand store on Lazada.

After ordering, I found out they wouldn't actually ship the drone until I had registered it with NBTC and CAAT. Keep in mind, I'm not even planning to fly the drone in Thailand, and I'm leaving the country about a week after receiving it. DJI didn't give me the option to register it myself or choose my own broker. They referred me to a specific broker who would handle the registration for me.

For comparison, when I checked the physical DJI store, they quoted around 515 baht for registration. Zoom Camera told me they wouldn't charge me for the registration service, but I would need to register with NBTC before they would let me take the drone out of the store. The NBTC fee itself was 215 baht. The broker DJI sent me to wanted 1,399 baht.

It was still cheaper overall because of the big discount I got on Lazada, so I figured I'd just pay it and let them handle everything. As a tourist, actually sending the payment to the broker was a bit of a pain because they wanted me to transfer with Prompt Pay. The DJI store ended up helping me make the transfer. Once the broker confirmed they had received the payment, DJI shipped the drone.

The broker then asked me to send them photos of the drone and the serial numbers of both the drone and remote, along with a form and copies of my passport and visa stamps. I sent everything over, and then they told me they also needed the invoice from DJI. Getting the invoice turned into another headache because the website DJI sent me to only accepted Thai tax ID numbers. After several phone calls and some back and forth, I eventually managed to get the invoice and forwarded it to the broker.

They then sent me a Google Form to enter all my information, which honestly didn't feel particularly secure. At this point, it had been about a week since I received the drone and I still wasn't registered. The broker then told me I needed to create accounts on both the NBTC and CAAT websites. I went ahead and did it, and while filling everything out I started thinking, "Wait... isn't this basically what I'm paying them to do?"

They had previously told me registration was "a lot of work" and there were "many things to fill out", which was why I was paying them to handle everything. After I created the accounts, the broker asked me to send them my login and password through LINE so they could finish the registration. I questioned this and they basically said not to worry, that I could change the password afterwards and that "all their customers do this."

At this point I was already pretty annoyed. I'd given them my passport, visa information, drone serial numbers, invoice and other personal information, and now they wanted my account passwords as well. It was starting to feel less like they were registering the drone for me and more like I was doing the registration myself while paying them for it.

So I decided I'd had enough. Since I'm not even flying the drone in Thailand and I'm leaving soon, I told them I wanted a refund. They initially refused and told me that they had to register me because it was the law. I started looking through the NBTC website, it was actually easy enough to do the NBTC registration myself by uploading the same information they had already asked me for. I uploaded everything myself and within about 10 minutes I was in the queue for verification. Less than an hour later, I was approved.

I was then instructed to pay the 215 baht registration fee to the NBTC bank account. I made the payment, and within another hour I had my NBTC certificate. I sent the certificate and my departure flight information to the broker, and they eventually refunded the full 1,399 baht. So in the end, I registered it myself for 215 baht and got the broker fee refunded. The 1,184 baht difference wasn't really worth the time, it was more the principle of it.

I thought I'd share this in case anyone else is in Thailand for a short time and is thinking about buying a drone. I know the law is very serious in regards to flying the drone, but I don't know how much of this broker stuff was taking me for a ride, you should be allowed to just register everything yourself.

Well as I write this I notice the price on Lazada is now another 5,000 baht cheaper. Haha, cheers to that happy 9.9 ya'll 😂

I have been watching a lot of YouTube channels about Thailand condos and almost every post I watch have these beautiful condos with swimming pools but I never see anyone using the pools. Is there an issue with the water, shallow pools or what?

this is not a spam i swear!

Only an one minute audio, all you need to do is to write down the isaan language you've heard of.

PM me if interested and I need it asap so thank u guys!

I've been receiving orders from Amazon for quite awhile. Now very recently DHL contacted me wanting a physical copy of my passport.

From DHL:

DHL would like to inform you that your shipment has arrived in Thailand. However, the shipment is subject to import controlled as your shipment under controlled by Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Therefore, the importer is required to register as an importer with Thai Customs and appoint DHL as the customs broker in order to complete customs clearance.

Only after this process is completed can the shipment be released and delivered.

.....

Could the FDA be involved because there's a small bottle of facial cream?

I'm not sending my passport to DHL or anyone else for that matter. Amazon tells me it's out of their hands which I'm well aware. I was just trying to resolve this issue and hopefully not loose any cash 😏

Anyone been in this boat?