Thursday, May 23, 2013
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Bangkok set for 2014 Formula E Grand Prix
The new Formula E car in front of the Grand Palace.
BANGKOK: -- Bangkok was yesterday chosen to host a race in the inaugural season of the FIA Formula E Championship for electric cars next year.
The announcement came during a special unveiling for the first time in Asia of the fully-electric-powered Formula E car, witnessed by Alejandro Agag, CEO of Championship promoter Formula E Holdings (FEH), advisor to the Minister of Energy Pol Maj-General Lattasanya Piansomparn, and Chiruit Israngkun Na Ayuthaya, director-domestic MICE, Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau. The Formula E car will be demonstrated again this November in honour of His Majesty the King's 86th birthday.
Bangkok has been added to the preliminary list of eight host cities for its inaugural season - London, Rome, Los Angeles, Miami, Beijing, Putrajaya, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro. The remaining host for the 10-circuit race will be announced in September.
The Formula E cars are being built by Spark Racing Technology (SRT) in collaboration with Renault, with a design that mimics their Formula One counterparts but focuses on ease of control, low cost and weight (780kg), and safety. Tyres are being supplied by Michelin.
The Formula E machine accelerates from 0-100kph (60mph) in 3 seconds and has a maximum speed of 220kph. The car will also serve as a platform for research and development on electric vehicles (Evs), and help boost general interest in EVs for personal use.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Unidentified male foreigner found dead on Phuket beach
Patong Beach was the site of multiple drownings during the low season last year. Photo: Gazette file
PHUKET: -- A bearded male foreigner was found dead on Phuket’s premier party beach of Patong early this morning.
The body was found at about 6am across from Loma Park (map here), the site of multiple drownings last year, wearing only a red t-shirt.
“We are examining the body, but have found no form of identification and have yet to be able to identify him,” a Patong Hospital Emergency Room staffer told the Phuket Gazette.
The man has been described by police as a bearded Caucasian in his 30s.
“He was wearing a ring, which might help someone to identify him. At this point we don’t know if he was a tourist or an expat, but we have contacted hotels in Patong to check for missing guests,” said Patong Police Superintendent Chiraphat Pochanaphan.
Police currently believe the cause of death was drowning.
Some of the beaches in Phuket have serious rip tides
Aunt sold girl, 17, for sex work in Korea: police
BANGKOK: -- The police's Anti-Human Trafficking Division (AHTD) yesterday applied for an arrest warrant for a Thai woman who allegedly lured her 17-year-old niece into prostitution with a well-paid job in South Korea.
The move came after the girl was rescued and sent back to Thailand on Saturday night after calling for help via Facebook.
AHTD commander Pol Maj-General Chawalit Swangpuech said Thai Police worked with Seoul police to rescue the Roi Et girl, identified as Ae (not her real name). The girl, a former employee at a Pattaya tour company, reportedly told police her 43-year-old aunt, who married a Korean man and opened a massage parlour in Seoul, told her about a well-paid restaurant job there. So, she travelled to South Korea with a Korean man and a Thai woman early this month.
After arrival, a Korean gang took her passport and forced her to work as a sex worker for 20 hours a day. She said she tried to phone her aunt for help but was turned down, so she used Facebook to notify a Thai police officer - which led to the rescue.
Chawalit said police had applied for an arrest warrant for the aunt for charges of human trafficking and procuring a child for sex work. Police were also checking with Immigration Police for the names of the Korean male suspect and Thai female that accompanied the girl to Seoul.
AHTD officer Pol Lt-Colonel Chusak Apaipak said this case, which saw collaboration between AHTD and the Social Development and Human Security Ministry, had also led to the rescuing of seven other Thai women. Besides a suspect now in police custody, he said Thai police would also ask Interpol in South Korea to arrest a Korean man alleged to be the gang's leader.
Deputy superintendent of Khok Srisuphan station in Sakhon Nakhon, Pol Lt-Colonel Thanin Jindasamut, was the person who received Ae's call for help via his Facebook page. He said the girl managed to tell him about her ordeal and the shop location so he alerted AHTD and the Thai Consulate to aid her.
This is just appalling.
The move came after the girl was rescued and sent back to Thailand on Saturday night after calling for help via Facebook.
AHTD commander Pol Maj-General Chawalit Swangpuech said Thai Police worked with Seoul police to rescue the Roi Et girl, identified as Ae (not her real name). The girl, a former employee at a Pattaya tour company, reportedly told police her 43-year-old aunt, who married a Korean man and opened a massage parlour in Seoul, told her about a well-paid restaurant job there. So, she travelled to South Korea with a Korean man and a Thai woman early this month.
After arrival, a Korean gang took her passport and forced her to work as a sex worker for 20 hours a day. She said she tried to phone her aunt for help but was turned down, so she used Facebook to notify a Thai police officer - which led to the rescue.
Chawalit said police had applied for an arrest warrant for the aunt for charges of human trafficking and procuring a child for sex work. Police were also checking with Immigration Police for the names of the Korean male suspect and Thai female that accompanied the girl to Seoul.
AHTD officer Pol Lt-Colonel Chusak Apaipak said this case, which saw collaboration between AHTD and the Social Development and Human Security Ministry, had also led to the rescuing of seven other Thai women. Besides a suspect now in police custody, he said Thai police would also ask Interpol in South Korea to arrest a Korean man alleged to be the gang's leader.
Deputy superintendent of Khok Srisuphan station in Sakhon Nakhon, Pol Lt-Colonel Thanin Jindasamut, was the person who received Ae's call for help via his Facebook page. He said the girl managed to tell him about her ordeal and the shop location so he alerted AHTD and the Thai Consulate to aid her.
This is just appalling.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Druggy catches Phuket cop on the can, steals firearm, heads to McDonald's
PHUKET: -- A Patong Deputy Superintendent was caught with his pants down in Kathu Police Station during the graveyard shift after a meth-fiend robbed his office as he was taking a 20 minute break in the washroom.
“When I returned from the toilet, I found my property had been stolen,” said Patong Police Deputy Superintendent Paisarn Sangthep.
Among the missing items was Lt Col Paisarn’s firearm, ammunition, laptop, external hard drive and speakers.
Lt Col Paisarn immediately put together an investigation team led by Lt Col Nikorn Chuthong.
The confessed culprit, Banpot “Pot” Srina, 24, was tracked down after a motorbike taxi driver claimed that the suspect had hijacked his motorbike and demanded to be taken to the McDonald’s on Patong’s beach front road.
“He threatened the driver with the gun and forced the driver to take him to the McDonald’s. He claimed he wanted to meet a friend there – he did not pay for the taxi,” Lt Col Nikorn said.
Police found Mr Banpot standing on the side of the road in front of the McDonald’s with the gun in his hand. All items stolen from Lt Col Paisarn’s office, valued at over 100,000 baht, were recovered.
“The suspect confessed to having stolen the property and also confessed to having taken ten ya bah [methamphetamine] pills before daring to rob the police station,” Lt Col Paisarn said.
You really could not make this stuff up!!
“When I returned from the toilet, I found my property had been stolen,” said Patong Police Deputy Superintendent Paisarn Sangthep.
Among the missing items was Lt Col Paisarn’s firearm, ammunition, laptop, external hard drive and speakers.
Lt Col Paisarn immediately put together an investigation team led by Lt Col Nikorn Chuthong.
The confessed culprit, Banpot “Pot” Srina, 24, was tracked down after a motorbike taxi driver claimed that the suspect had hijacked his motorbike and demanded to be taken to the McDonald’s on Patong’s beach front road.
“He threatened the driver with the gun and forced the driver to take him to the McDonald’s. He claimed he wanted to meet a friend there – he did not pay for the taxi,” Lt Col Nikorn said.
Police found Mr Banpot standing on the side of the road in front of the McDonald’s with the gun in his hand. All items stolen from Lt Col Paisarn’s office, valued at over 100,000 baht, were recovered.
“The suspect confessed to having stolen the property and also confessed to having taken ten ya bah [methamphetamine] pills before daring to rob the police station,” Lt Col Paisarn said.
You really could not make this stuff up!!
Hong Kong airport pictures
Just returned from Hong Kong so sharing some pictures taken in the airport.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)