Thai police launched a murder inquiry into the death of a Briton on a Thai holiday island

Police on the Thai island of Koh Samui ruled that Kevin Attew, 57, from Aldershot, Hants, had committed suicide after his Thai girlfriend said that was what he planned to do. Police said he drowned himself in a lake behind the resort area of Chawaeng.Attew's body was found last Tuesday.But today a murder inquiry was launched after pictures taken by his best friend showed that he had been beaten to death first. Also, as the man-made lake was less than 30 centimetres deep – it seemed a poor venue for an allegedly suicidal man when the Gulf of Thailand was only yards away.Londoner Crispin Paton-Smith, a friend of Attew, said: "I was appalled to hear the verdict of drowning. It was a no brainer. Kevin was beaten to death and his body was left on dry land for quite a while before being put in the...

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Posted in: Thai police launched a murder inquiry into the death of a Briton on a Thai holiday island

epidemic of car break-ins is alarming police in the inner city.

As many as seven gangs, all of them connected, are thought to be breaking into high-value cars parked in inner Bangkok, and robbing them of their valuables.The problem has become so bad that restaurants in well-off suburbs such as Ekkamai and Thong Lor, where many of the thefts have occurred, now place signs in their windows warning patrons that smash-and-grabs from cars parked in the areas was rampant and not to leave valuables in their vehicles.Apiprat: Fell victim to car break-inPolice are still assessing the extent of the problem, but believe the gangs are stealing millions of baht worth of goods every month.Car break-ins were once lumped in with robberies, but police are now thinking of separating these cases and giving them special attention. They say thefts in this category are taking...

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Thailand arrests American for alleged king insult

Thai authorities said Friday they arrested an American citizen on charges he insulted the country's monarchy, in part by posting a link on his blog four years ago to a banned book about the Southeast Asian nation's ailing king.The man is also suspected of translating, from English into Thai, portions of "The King Never Smiles" -- an unauthorized biography of King Bhumibol Adulyadej -- and posting them online along with articles he wrote that allegedly defame the royal family, said Tharit Pengdith, who heads the Department of Special Investigation, Thailand's equivalent of the FBI.The American has denied the charges, according to the Thai-language prachatai.com news website, which tracks cases of lese majeste, as the crime of insulting the monarchy is known.The 54-year-old Thai-born man lived...

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Gunmen attacked the house of a canvasser of a Democrat Party poll candidate in Bangkok's Bung Kum district last night

Gunmen attacked the house of a canvasser of a Democrat Party poll candidate in Bangkok's Bung Kum district last night. The attack is believed to have been politically motivated. Nobody was killed or injured, police said.About midnight yesterday, unidentified gunmen sprayed bullets at the house of Charoen Jaesaman in Klong Rahas community on Serithai Road in Bung Kum district. The assailants escaped after the attack.Mr Charoen is a canvasser for Panich Vikitsreth, the Constituency 16 candidate of the Democrat Party.Mr Charoen, along with his son and his grandson, were sleeping on the second floor when the attack took place. They were unhurt, police said.A number of spent bullet cases and an M16 ammunition magazine were found at the scene.Meanwhile, the Royal Police Office yesterday issued a...

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Posted in: Gunmen attacked the house of a canvasser of a Democrat Party poll candidate in Bangkok's Bung Kum district last night

investigation by police showed that a group in Pattaya was involved with offering young girls to foreign tourists for sex.

Therefore they mounted a sting operation whereby a 14 year old girl was delivered to a room for sex by her female pimp.The twenty six year old pimp Ms. Panthipa Khampan said she was contacted by the girl's mother and that the client would pay 1,500 baht and Panthipa would get 500 baht for her trouble.The police took a statement from the 14 year old girl who told police that she had been raped by a relative when she was just 9 year old and that she wanted to earn money to help her mother clear her debts.The mother of the child admitted to this and confessed that just the day before she had sold her daughter for sex for another foreign customer.The court was on hand to produce arrest warrants for the mother and the pimp and in the meantime the young girl has been sent to a children’s care center...

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Posted in: investigation by police showed that a group in Pattaya was involved with offering young girls to foreign tourists for sex.

Necklace Snatcher Strikes in South Pattaya

A Necklace was snatched in front of the South Pattaya Market on Tuesday afternoon.  The thief had already been apprehended by the locals, who called in to the Radio Center of the Pattaya Police Station for assistance. At the scene, the victim Mrs. Somkid Yadared, age 45, was still in shock by the assault, and she was being calmed down by a group of people who chased down and apprehended the snatcher. One of them, Mr. Rittirong Pat-ta-na-rang-ka, also happened to be a Sattahip Police Volunteer as well as a motorcycle taxi driver in the area. Mrs. Somkid stated that she was shopping for Buddha day on Wednesday, and wearing a 2 baht gold chain. While she was doing her shopping, she noticed a man walking behind her, and before she could move away, he ran up and grabbed her...

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Ugandan Prostitutes Arrested

Thursday at 1:30 am, an information was received by the Deputy Superintendent of the Women, Children and Youths Protection Department Pol. Lt. Col. Greeta Tan-ka-na-rak and Inspector Pol. Maj. Griangsak Boonprawat that three  women from Uganda were hiding in the area while operating as prostitutes In Walking Street. A plan was set up to send to men posing as customers to approach them for their services at the Marine Plaza, South Pattaya. The money was paid and then the undercover agents and then police identified themselves and arrested them. The three women had visas but one had expired and all three were from Uganda.  After information received police tracked down four more Ugandan women in walking Street who were spotted standing under the tree in the middle of Walking...

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Well-known Iranian Criminal Arrested

Immigration Police and Local Police and officials from DSI to surround Pacific Apartment in Soi Yan Sabai, South Pattaya, as information was received that a wanted Iranian criminal called Mr. Majid Mohebbi has been hiding there and was actively operating a protection racket. Mr. Majid was in the room with a Thai girlfriend.  He refused on giving any information to the police or DSI Officials.  DSI is the Department that works with special corruption, cases against misconduct of government officials and was established under the Justice Ministry so that people can send their complaints directly to DSI and request investigations of all types of problems unsolved by other government authorities.  Mr. Majid's VISA had expired which will be added to the penalties he has to face...

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Gangsters Arrested by Pattaya Police

Pattaya Police dragnet under the supervision of the Superintendent Pol. Col. Nantawut Suwanlaong uncovered information about a local drug dealer Mr. Siripon Sutti AKA K, age 28 from Sattahip. He had been the head of a gang of dealers in Pattaya for some time. Suppression Inspector Pol. Maj. Chote Lamom was assigned to crack down on this gang, and so set a trap to purchase some drugs on Pattaya’s 3rd Road, near Pratumnak Hill. As the undercover police stood by for Mr. K, he did show up with 140 Yah Bah tablets.Mr. K was arrested, so to mitigate his problems, he pointed to Mr. Preecha Wisutsee or Tee, aged 34 from Nakhonsawan Province, who in turn was arrested trying to deliver 50 grams of Yah Ice to the undercover cops. Mr. Tee then pointed the finger at Mrs. Jintana Boon Pan AKA Ying, aged...

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Banglamung Police Nail Drug Dealer

Banglamung Police, led by Superintendent Pol. Col. Somnuek Jangaid and Deputy Investigation Inspector Pol. Capt. Gornpong Sukwisit  held a press conference to publicize the arrest of a major drug dealer, Mr. Sutat Saengtai, age 27. He was seized with 3 bags of Yah Ice weighing 99.16 grams in total, and 2 packages of Yah Bah containing 4,000 tablets. The Banglamung police have been trying to track down Mr. Sutat for a while, after learning that he was one of the main dealers in the city.The undercover police arranged a drug deal with Mr. Sutat to buy 1 gram of Yah Ice, and for the drug to be delivered in the front of Mr. Sutat’s house, located opposite Ekmongkol Villas 4 in Soi Khao Talo.A group of undercover police surrounded the area before the deal was to take place. When Mr. Sutat...

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an Italian man and his Thai girlfriend were having a small drug party, and being so rowdy it disturbed the neighbors.

 The police entered the room and found Mr. Matia Delorbo Carara, age 35 from Italy, and his Thai girlfriend partying away with some drugs, as informed. 3 small bags of Yah Ice contained 0.33, 0.30 and 0.44 grams were found with drug paraphernalia. They were whisked away to the Pattaya Police Station for questioning. Mr. Carara confessed to buying Yah Ice from a local dealer in South Pattaya for 10,000 Baht, and now faces legal proceedin...

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Posted in: an Italian man and his Thai girlfriend were having a small drug party,and being so rowdy it disturbed the neighbors.

two teenagers were spotted riding a Yamaho Mio motorcycle reported stolen a few hours earlier.

Pattaya Patrol Police was on duty around Pratamnak Hill near Yin Yom Beach, two teenagers were spotted riding a Yamaho Mio motorcycle reported stolen a few hours earlier.    The police called the teenagers to stop but they fled, heading toward Thepprasit Road.The police chased them along Sukhumvit Road, before stopping them in Soi Nernplubwan.  The male driver was 15 years old and the female passenger was 17. They confessed to being involved with a Motorcycle Theft Gang.  Both were taken to Pattaya Police Station for further investigation and legal proceedings.The owner of the motorcycle was contacted to identify and receive the motorcycle back. The police swiftly tried to catch the rest of the gang members when later in the morning they apprehended 12 teenagers...

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Posted in: two teenagers were spotted riding a Yamaho Mio motorcycle reported stolen a few hours earlier.

Body of Russian Tourist found close to where he disappeared in Sattahip

The body of the missing Russian Tourist who disappeared during a day trip to Islands off the coast of Sattahip has now been found, only 500 meters from where he was last seen. On Tuesday we reported on the missing Russian Tourist who was residing in Pattaya, known only as “Alex” he has now been identified as Mr. Oleg Reminiaka aged 37. He was found on Wednesday Afternoon by Khun Long, a member of the Sattahip Air Rescue Unit who was part of a team of 3 paramotor’s tasked to search for the man. Their aerial search was unsuccessful and they decided to land on the Island, 3 nautical miles from the coast of Sattahip, where Mr. Reminiaka was last seen with 82 fellow Russian Tourists. A body, which was later identified as Mr. Reminiaka was discovered on rocks. Trauma was seen to his shoulders and...

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Posted in: Body of Russian Tourist found close to where he disappeared in Sattahip

South Pattaya Pub raided by Region 2 Police

7.30 on Friday Morning, officers from the Police Region 2 Narcotics Unit raided a Pub in South Pattaya which was still open with many customers inside. The unit had already received information about the T&T Pub Pattaya located in Soi Yensabai, suggesting underage workers were being employed as well as the venue was open well after permitted operating hours. A group of 20 officers led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Prichar, a deputy superintendant of the unit stormed the property and found many people inside and alchohol was being consumed. Patrons, some foreign, along with staff members were given urine tests and 7 people, 5 men and 2 women subsequently failed and were arrested on class 1 drug consumption charges. 8 people were found to be under the age of 20, a combination of staff and...

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Foreign couple involved in robbery at Resort in Jomtien

foreign couple at a luxury resort in Jomtien returned to their room on Friday Night to find the room safe had been removed. Mr. Claude Petijon aged 48 from France and his partner Miss Agnes Wilkie aged 58 from Scotland returned to their room at the Sugar Hut Resort at approximately 8pm to find it had been ransacked. The couple went straight to the safe box and saw it had been removed from the room. Entry to the wooden hut was made through one of the windows, and along with the contents of the safe, which included jewelry, a computer notebook, digital camera and an IPOD were also stolen. Total value of the goods is estimated at 300,000 Baht.  No fingerprints or other forensic evidence was taken from the scene by Pattaya Police who determined that a current or previous employee of the Resort...

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Attempts to conceal drugs from Pattaya Police Officers leads to loss of life

suspected drug dealer choked to death after swallowing a bag of drugs during his arrest by undercover Pattaya Police, in the early hours of Wednesday Morning. The undercover operation took place in an undisclosed location where an operative allegedly purchased a quantity of crystal methamphetamine from the suspect who was subsequently arrested. On the way to Pattaya Police Station the suspect, Khun Tosarat aged 20, who was on the back of a pick-up, collapsed and was rushed to Hospital where he was pronounced dead-on-arrival. Doctors extracted a bag of Ice lodged in his trachea and suspect the man attempted to swallow the drugs to destroy any evidence of further drug possession, on top of the charge of drug dealing. An internal Police investigation is now underway to ensure officers acted in...

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Former Army Bodyguard arrested after shooting his wife at their family home

former close protection officer, working for the 11th Division of the Royal Thai Army, allegedly shot and badly injured his wife in the early hours of Wednesday following a drug-induced rage. Khun Apichart aged 45 is thought to have become addicted to Crystal Methamphetamine after he left the Army and would often suffer episodes of paranoia, believing that people were following him and trying to kill him. For this reason he would always keep a firearm clipped to his trouser belt. His wife of 5 years, Khun Pacharin aged 28 who has one child from a previous marriage, witnessed such an episode on Wednesday Morning at their family home in the Nong Pla Lai area, and shouted at her Husband to stop. He then aimed the 38 caliber weapon at her and shot her in her right upper chest area. He reportedly...

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Man beaten and robbed by 4 men close to Pattaya

Thai Man was bound and gagged inside his apartment and then robbed of possessions by a group of 4 men, one of whom was known to the attacker. Khun Worapot aged 35, who works at a factory in Rayong Province and lives on the outskirts of Pattaya in a government-controlled apartment complex, was taken to Banglamung Police Station on Wednesday afternoon to complete a crime report. He revealed that one of the attackers, Khun Apishart aged 20, a former work colleague, had borrowed 6,000 Baht from him and had promised to pay the money back on 7th May. On Wednesday he went to visit the victim and confirmed the money would be paid back. All seemed well until Khun Apishart returned to the victim’s apartment later on Wednesday with three other men and forced the victim back into his apartment and attacked...

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Posted in: Man beaten and robbed by 4 men close to Pattaya

2 wounded at Motel shootout in Jomtien

2 young men were shot and injured at a motel in Jomtien early on Sunday Morning after 5 former customers returned and were met with unexpected force as they prepared to shoot the owner. Police and Rescue Services were called to the Bungalow 69 Motel on the Tepprasit Road and two of the five men involved in the planned attack on the motel owner were taken to Hospital with minor gun shot wounds. Police spoke with the owner, Khun Suchin aged 60 who explained the group had earlier rented a room but were creating problems for other guests because of their excessive noise levels, mostly caused by motorbikes which were arriving and leaving the room on a regular basis. The group was told to leave by the owner and they promised to return with guns. Their threat became reality but the owner was ready...

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Minor accident leads to shooting in East Pattaya

A minor incident involving two motorbike drivers escalated to a shooting on Saturday Afternoon. The incident occurred on the road running adjacent to the train track in East Pattaya whereby the two motorbike drivers were involved in a non-contact accident. Words were exchanged but the driver and apparent cause of the accident, Khun Prasopchork aged 35, thought nothing of it and continued his journey back to his place of work, a small shop in Soi Chayapornviti 9 in the Nongprue area. In fact, the other driver was following him and when the victim arrived at the shop, he was shot in his stomach. Police later found 8 bullet casings. The victim was taken to Hospital and is expected to pull-through. The shooter remains at large as Police attempt to arrest him at this time.&nb...

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British National is expected to be deported from Thailand after Pattaya Immigration issued a notice of visa revocation against him.

British National is expected to be deported from Thailand after Pattaya Immigration issued a notice of visa revocation against him. A press conference was held at the Immigration Office in Jomtien on Tuesday Afternoon to announce the detention of Mr. Roderick William Robinson aged 73 from England who was caught in a joint operation with The Special Organized Crime Agency from UK at the V&M Terrace in Soi Beokeow. The Police detailed 4 separate cases involving Mr. Robinson dating back to 1999 with a case as recent as March 2010 in Australia. In each case the suspect is accused of crimes against minors. For this reason, the Immigration Department made the decision to issue an order to revoke his visa and ordered an immediate deportation to UK, even though Mr. Robinson is currently not wanted...

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Posted in: British National is expected to be deported from Thailand after Pattaya Immigration issued a notice of visa revocation against him.

British Bar owner arrested by Immigration police

At around 2:00am on Wednesday police from the Immigration office based in Jomtien entered the Roxy go-go bar on Walking Street and arrested Mr Jason Hill, a 41-year-old British national on a charge of working without the correct documentation. He was brought to Pattaya Police Station where he was interviewed and allegedly accepted the charge. He was also asked for his passport but told officers it was back in his room. Further checks are expected to be made regarding Mr Hill’s visa stat...

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British man accused of the sale and production of pornographic material and sex toys has been arrested by Pattaya Immigration Officers.

British man accused of the sale and production of pornographic material and sex toys has been arrested by Pattaya Immigration Officers. Officers conducted a raid of the Boutique Sexy Store located on Pattaya Third Road on Tuesday Afternoon and detained Mr. Ian Keith Hoskin aged 61 from England, the reported owner of the business. Previously an undercover foreign Immigration Volunteer purchased items from the shop which are deemed illegal here in Thailand and this provided Immigration Officers with enough evidence to conduct the raid. Inside the shop officers found plastic and silicon sex toys including fake penises. Mr. Hoskin led Police to a manufacturing facility located in Soi 5 off the Naklua Road where items were being manufactured, mostly for export to foreign countries. Originally Police...

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Posted in: British man accused of the sale and production of pornographic material and sex toys has been arrested by Pattaya Immigration Officers.

2 killed, 1 wounded in Pattani shooting

married couple was killed and their son seriously injured in a drive-by shooting on Patani-Yala highway in Pattani’s Muang district on Sunday afternoon, police said.Pol Col Somporn Meesuk, chief of Muang Pattani police station, said Sam Kaewkongthon, 65, his wife Penporn Paolohit, 57, and his son Wiroj, 27, were on their way home in Yala’s Muang district on a pickup truck from selling fruits in Pattani when four men on two motorcycles attacked them.Two gunmen riding on pillions sprayed bullets from war weapons at them. The coupled were shot in their heads and bodied and their vehicle stooped. The gunmen came down from motorcycles and repeatedly shot them in front of the on looking villagers. The attackers then fled.The couple died at the scene. Their son, shot in his back, was taken to...

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Posted in: 1 wounded in Pattani shooting,2 killed

Seven police and soldiers have been killed and 15 others injured in two bomb attacks in Pattani and Yala provinces, while a former local leader has been shot dead in nearby Narathiwat province.

AMBUSHED: A bomb blast left a large crater on Jampun-Jorleemad Road in Yala’s Raman district and damaged a bullet-proof pickup truck of the 12th Special Task Force.The first bomb blast went off at 3pm yesterday as a team of police parked their vehicle under a tree near a football field in tambon Plong Hoi of Pattani's Kapho district.The home-made bomb, hidden under the tree, was detonated by mobile phone signals.The explosion killed four police officers instantly and injured 13 others, with five seriously hurt.All were from Kapho police station and were about to take part in a football match with local officials as part of an anti-drug campaign. The dead officers were identified as Pol Sgt Arid Wanlatae, Pol L/C Samart Sorsansa, Pol Sgt Narongrit Suwankhiri and Pol Sgt Kriengsak Thanurak....

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Posted in: Seven police and soldiers have been killed and 15 others injured in two bomb attacks in Pattani and Yala provinces,while a former local leader has been shot dead in nearby Narathiwat province.

45,200 Cambodian evacuees flee home due to clashes with Thailand

The eighth day of armed clashes between Cambodian and Thai troops over disputed border areas had forced other 11,200 Cambodian people to flee homes, bringing the total number of evacuees to 45,200 by Friday evening, said a senior government official."Too many Cambodian evacuees have fled home in the latest rounds of fighting with Thailand," Nhim Vanda, the first vice- president of the Cambodian National Committee for Disaster Management, told Xinhua by telephone on Friday. "We have never expected such great number of evacuees, so now our major concerns for them are clean water and sanitary facilities."During the fighting, the villagers living as far as 18 kilometers surrounding the fighting areas at the 11th century Ta Moan temple and Ta Krabei temple in Oddar Meanchey province have forced...

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Posted in: 200 Cambodian evacuees flee home due to clashes with Thailand,45