News from Thailand – January 6, 2015
This page contains a selection of the most important Thai news. We list headlines from major news sources including: Bangkok Post, The Nation, ThaiPBS, MCOT, etc.
There is a web link behind the news items. When you click on it you can read the full article at the English source. The news page is updated several times a day so that you always read the latest and most current news.
News from Thailand – January 6, 2015
The Nation opens today with the message that Thailand wants to register the SIM cards of pre-paid callers as part of its national security policy. The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) will ask the government to register pre-paid SIM cards. The reason is that this makes it easier for the government to find out who is involved in illegal activities, including lèse-majesté. The government also wants to be able to monitor internet surfing behavior with a smartphone or tablet. About 90% of all Thai calls and internet are pre-paid, only 10% of which are registered: http://goo.gl/YsbZVg
– Fire in a house of a British couple in South Pattaya after a marital quarrel: http://t.co/CTpgNajwCA
– A Pakistani 'terrorist' who escaped from Indian prison and fled has been arrested by police in East Pattaya: http://t.co/azSqBqhxiG
– A 73-year-old Norwegian man commits suicide in Saraburi. The Norwegian was found on the second floor in a room. He sat on a chair with a plastic bag over his head. He leaves behind a 49-year-old Thai woman, they had lived together for 30 years. The man would have committed suicide because of financial problems. He was a businessman who traded crude oil and regularly traveled between Thailand and Norway. His company is said to have run into problems due to the low oil prices: http://t.co/v9vsmFdL7X
– Stocks in Asia fall sharply after painful losses in New York and European stock exchanges, euro is down and almost reaches a record low: http://t.co/RubLS9S5n9
– A village in Baan Ta Plai in Trat province was visited by a wild elephant. The ferocious Jumbo terrified the villagers. He also casually damaged a pick-up truck and two motorbikes. Then he disappeared into the wilderness again: http://t.co/aML55nb2eJ
– The seven dangerous days in traffic during the New Year holidays are over. The sad balance is 341 killed and 3117 injured. That is slightly less than last year when there were 366 deaths and 3.345 injuries: http://t.co/7tyTeoY1AS
– A Thai criminologist has serious doubts about the suicide of a 29-year-old French tourist on January 1 during his holiday on Koh Tao. The man was found after hanging but his hands were tied behind his back. A suicide note was found. According to Professor Charnkanit Krittiya Suriyamanee, a criminologist and lecturer at Mahidol University, there are a number of things that are wrong. For example, the man had a wound on his elbow, he could not tie himself so tightly when he was drunk and different types of rope were used: http://t.co/pbGmZ88OuN
– More news from Thailand later.
Don't believe the suicide of that 73-year-old Norwegian. Also very striking that there are a lot of farangs of all ages commit suicide in Thailand and also come there especially to commit suicide! And always under suspicious circumstances. TiT!
Would like to read any further comments, due to concerns for family
Dear Sabine Bergjes,
I don't think you should worry about (apparently living in Thailand) family. Cases like this happen in every country, but not all of these cases you get to hear about. The previous comment is not substantiated in any way. So don't let fear guide you.
DKTH….Coming to Thailand specifically to commit suicide…..can you elaborate on this…what would
be a possible advantage… it shouldn't get any crazier….
Of course you never know for sure.
Then extensive research would have to be done to see whether the man has been anesthetized or whether there are traces of violence on his body.
That probably won't happen.
Personally, however, I would choose to lie in bed.
Not that I have any plans though, just in case you find me in the news.
Peter Fly and perhaps others: my message was meant cynically: there are many suicides among farangs in Thailand, but are they really suicides? The police very quickly dismiss it as a suicide: farang jumped from a hotel room from a great height (=suicide according to the police), farang hanged himself (with his hands tied behind his back) (=suicide according to the police. Fortunately, a Thai criminologist has reservations about this), and there are dozens of examples per month. Think that the police here very quickly dismiss a dead farang as a suicide before really investigating whether it was suicide (see also the recent suicide of a 29-year-old Frenchman, with his hands tied behind his back, wound on the elbow, use different types of ropes). And that is why I say cynically “also very striking that there are a lot of farangs of all ages commit suicide in Thailand and also come there especially to commit suicide!” T'apice?