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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024242

PM Office minister denies ordering ‘siren service’ for Chinese TikTok influencer

SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2023

A Cabinet member and the government spokesman denied on Sunday that they told police to provide VIP service to a Chinese TikTok influencer, including a police escort from Suvarnabhumi International Airport to her hotel in Pattaya during which a police vehicle used its siren to ensure swift transport.

The pair – PM’s Office Minister Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana and government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri – were responding to a media report that quoted Tourist Police spokesman Maj Gen Apichart Suriboonya implicating a PM’s Office minister.

Apichart was quoted in a report broadcast by Channel 7 saying that one of the policemen involved in the scandal claimed he had been contacted by the driver of a PM’s Office minister and told to escort a Chinese woman and her mother from the airport to their Pattaya hotel.

Apichart, however, said on Sunday that he had never told any media outlet that the policemen in the viral clip implicated a driver of a PM’s Office minister.

The scandal erupted after a video clip of the incident went viral on Chinese social media. The video was posted by an attractive young woman who boasted about receiving special service from the Thai police.

Money can buy anything from the Thai police, she says in the viral video clip.

She arrived at Suvarnabhumi International Airport at about 10.00pm on January 19 on a Hong Kong Airlines flight.

She said a team of Thai policemen escorted her and her mother from the plane, whisked them through Immigration and Customs, carried their luggage to a taxi, and even opened the vehicle’s door for them.

They behaved like hotel bellboys rather than police officers.

The young woman claimed a police motorcycle subsequently drove in front of her taxi and used its siren to ensure swift travel to Pattaya.

A motorcycle escort costs 6,000 baht, while a police car costs 7,000 baht, she told her Chinese viewers. The service allowed her to avoid traffic and arrive at her hotel in record time, she noted.

When she bought her tour service, its operator asked her if she wanted to use a police escort service or not, she claimed.

Thanakorn said he had checked with his driver and aides and they knew nothing of the VIP service given to the Chinese tourist and her mother.

He said he would fully cooperate with any investigation. Thanakorn said he has also checked with Anucha and the spokesman said no one on his team was involved in the scandal.

Apichart said the incident was still under investigation and the three policemen in the video clip had yet to give their official testimony.

“We have not yet summoned them to testify because we are still in the process of forming a fact-finding panel,” Apichart said.

Apichart said the three policemen in the clip were Capt Sompol, a deputy inspector of Tourist Police Division 3 in charge of the Suvarnabhumi Airport, and two traffic policemen of the Metropolitan Police Bureau: Sgt Thanakorn and Gen Thanawat.

Apichart said a preliminary probe found that the motorcycle used to escort the influencer was not an official police vehicle. It was too big to be a police bike, so it had to be a personal motorcycle, he said.

Apichart said the three policemen might not face criminal charges but would face a disciplinary probe for alleged improper behaviour.

Police have to take care of all tourists equally and should not provide special care to particular ones, he explained.

On Saturday, Maj Gen Archayon Kraithong, Royal Thai Police spokesman, said national police chief Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas had learned of the video clip and ordered a probe as it had severely damaged the image of Thailand’s finest.

Archayon said a Cabinet resolution dated September 25, 2001 allowed police motorcades to be provided only for national VIPs, politicians or guests of the government.

In other cases, traffic police have to request permission from the traffic police chief and this can be given on a case by case basis, the spokesman added.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024241

FDA warns against improper use of liquid nitrogen in sweets and snacks

SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2023

The Food and Drug Administration on Sunday warned Thai food shops and bakeries to be extremely cautious when using liquid nitrogen to decorate their treats.

The FDA made the warning after the Jakarta Times reported that more than 20 children in Indonesia suffered stomach burns after eating “chiki ngebul”, a street snack doused with frozen liquid nitrogen.

The children ate the snacks, also known as “dragon’s breath”, while participating in a viral TikTok trend.

Withit Saritdeechayakul, deputy FDA secretary-general, said owners of food shops or bakeries that used excessive amounts of liquid nitrogen that harmed consumers would face two years in jail and a fine of up to 20,000 baht.

Withit also advised consumers to avoid directly touching or inhaling liquid nitrogen because their skin or tissue could be damaged by it.

If they want to eat snacks or sweets topped with liquid nitrogen, they must wait for the substance to vaporise entirely before consuming the snack.

Bakery and food shops must strictly comply with the FDA directive No 418 of 2020 and the Public Health Ministry’s directive No 281 of 2004 on food additives when they use liquid nitrogen in their menus, Withit said.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024238

Confidence in police plunges amidst policing scandals, survey finds

SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2023

Most Thais lack confidence in the police, and less than 10% say they have plenty of confidence in them, according to a survey published on Sunday.

The survey was conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration from January 18 to 20 – amidst high-profile scandals involving Thai police.

The institute said 1,310 people aged 18 and above responded to the survey nationwide. They represent a range of income and educational backgrounds, the institute said. It released the following summary of the survey:

Do you have confidence in the police?

• 39.01% Little
• 26.72% None
• 25.34% Some
• 8.93% Plenty

How frightened of crime are you?

• 35.65% Moderately frightened
• 33.51% Very frightened
• 17.63% Not very frightened
• 13.21% Not frightened

What crimes are you most frightened of?

• 40.46% Cyber crimes
• 24.66% Narcotics
• 15.27% Murders
• 9.00% Scams
• 5.42% Sexual assault
• 5.19% Robberies

Have you used police services over the past year?

• 80.23% No
• 19.77% Yes

The 259 respondents who used police services over the past year were asked: Were you satisfied with the services?

• 34.75% Moderately satisfied
• 22.78% Strongly satisfied
• 22.01% Moderately unsatisfied
• 20.46% Unsatisfied

What is your favourite police division?

• 29.08% Crime investigation
• 27.02% Traffic management
• 22.06% Crime prevention and suppression
• 12.83% None
• 9.01% General inquiries

What characteristics should a good police officer have?

• 37.18% Ethics and transparency
• 25.73% Fast action without discrimination
• 17.86% Good behaviour
• 11.53% Strict law enforcement
• 3.74% Control their emotions and deal effectively with situations
• 2.05% Have knowledge and skills
• 1.91% Show leadership and be a good role model

Related stories:

• ‘Siren service’ for Chinese tourist lands 3 police officers in trouble
• Police chief orders probe into ‘siren service’ for Chinese tourist
• DSI gets new spokespersons to clear its name in wake of corruption scandal

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024237

German jumps off Krabi cliff to death after first suicide attempt was prevented

SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2023

A German tourist jumped to his death from a cliff in a national park in Krabi while park officers were escorting him down a trail from a mountaintop where an hour earlier they had prevented him from attempting suicide, police said on Sunday.

They said the tourist, identified as “Loo”, had been suffering from depression and that he jumped from a cliff at 6.30pm while being escorted down Khao Ngon Nak mountain.

The mountain is in Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park in Krabi’s Muang district.

Park officers were alerted by the man’s mother earlier on Saturday that he was suicidal.

Tikawut Sriburin, chief of the park, said Loo’s mother called the park office at 1.30pm on Saturday to inform officers that her son was suffering from depression and had called her to say he intended to commit suicide.

Park officers then checked the registry of entrants to the park and found that Loo entered at 11.12am. They requested a photo of the man from his mother and then began searching for him, Tikawut said.

Park officers located Loo at 5.30pm on the mountaintop. They spoke to him until he appeared calm and then agreed to follow the officers down a trail from the mountain, Tikawut said.

While descending the trail Loo answered a call on his mobile phone at 6.30pm. He then finished the call and apologised to the park officers, Tikawut said.

After apologising to the officers, Loo then sprinted to the edge of a cliff nearby and jumped, Tikawut said.

Park officers were shocked, he said, adding that the man ran so suddenly and quickly that they were unable to stop him.

Park officers did not say who Loo was speaking to on his final phone call or what he said.

Rescue officials took about two hours to reach the bottom of the rocky ravine Loo had jumped into. It was about 50 metres below the edge of the cliff he had jumped from.

It took rescue officials several hours to recover the man’s body.

Tikawut said the man’s body had been sent to Surat Thani Hospital. The German Embassy was informed of the man’s death and asked to contact his relatives.

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Documentary makers offer survival tips in the era of social media

SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2023

Jarupong Krisanaraj

The prevalence of social media has changed filmmakers’ concept when it comes to attracting audiences, a winner of the Bangkok Film Festival’s short documentary contest said.

The film festival at the Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre is being hosted by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) in a bid to promote Bangkok as a capital for creativity. The festival wraps up on Sunday.

Freelance content creator and filmmaker Anuwat Duangbunma said social media was easy to access and had become very popular, especially among young people.

Anuwat Duangbunma

“Teenagers love watching short films on social media,” he said, adding that he has been making full use of Facebook, TikTok and YouTube to publish content.

Anuwat’s short film “Bangkok and Generation” won the first prize in the contest titled “Connecting Bangkok 2030”. The second and third prizes were won by Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi students Burinpon Yenjit and Natthawut Thinsuwan’s “Dreams of a Green City” and Wittaya Dokklang’s “Hallo Bangkok”, respectively.

From left, Natthawut Thinsuwan and Burinpon Yenjit

Burinpon and Natthawut explained that short entertaining clips are far more popular than documentaries.

“Documentaries can be boring,” Natthawut said, adding that content creators need to make an extra effort to attract audiences. Both students said they have been working hard on honing their skills to create attractive content.

Wittaya Dokklang

Wittaya said before social media, documentaries were out of people’s reach.

“But documentaries have changed nowadays,” he said, adding that many media outlets are making shorter documentary films to keep the audience engaged.

He also advised content creators to improve their production methods, such as adjusting video lengths and selecting interesting subjects to attract a wider audience.

Last year, the government launched its so-called “5 Fs soft power” campaign, which aims to promote five key attractions – food, film, fashion, fighting and festivals – internationally.

Ministries, government agencies and the BMA have been taking steps – some big, some small – to promote Thailand’s soft power around the world.

Related stories:

• Bangkok Film Festival opens with seminars, screenings, shopping and shows
• Govt told to focus on film to magnify Thailand’s global appeal
• Curtain rises for Bangkok Film Festival on Friday

Jarupong Krisanaraj

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40024235

2023: What’s in the Rabbit’s hat for you this year?

SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2023

Ramona Varma

The Rabbit has hopped into our lives for 2023, and with its Water element it brings “hope” for a peaceful and prosperous year.

According to the Chinese zodiac, the luckiest signs this year will be the Ox, Tiger and Snake, followed by Dogs, Horses, Sheep and Pigs.
Poor Roosters and Monkeys will need to work really hard to make headway in 2023, while the fortunes of the Rabbit and Rat may face turmoil from Tai Sui, or the “Grand Duke of Jupiter”.

Here’s a quick look at how the gentle Water Rabbit may affect you this year, according to your birth sign:

RAT (born 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008)
The Rats are crushed by Tai Sui this year, meaning they could find things difficult financially. They should keep a low profile and not trust others easily. Career-wise, they should think twice before making decisions. However, the Rat’s love life is generally lucky this year, with affairs of the heart in abundance. Those who do hook up will enjoy stable relationships, and the longer they stay single, the more likely they will encounter Mr/Ms Right. Their health may also be quite good all year.

 
OX (1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009)
Rabbit year is mainly positive for the Ox, especially in terms of career. They can expect good opportunities and may even make headway towards becoming wealthy. However, they should learn to be patient, pay attention to their finances and be thrifty in their spending habits. Oxen who are single are likely to meet someone promising, while those in couples can look forward to stability. Healthwise, it is important to pay attention to what you eat and follow the “prevention is better than cure” principle.

 
TIGER (1938, 1950, 1962,1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022)
For Tigers, the Rabbit heralds a year of prosperity, luck and abundance. Tigers may do well both in career and business, provided they keep their feet firmly planted on the ground. Though they will generally do well with work, Tigers should keep an eye out for rogues who may harm them. Single Tigers will easily be able to charm themselves into a relationship, though they still need to guard against bad romances. Things are likely to go smoothly for big cats in relationships, though they may need to devote more time to their loved ones. While this is a strong year for Tigers’ health, they should watch out for minor ailments.

RABBIT (1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023)
Rabbits may find this year a little challenging, especially since they are likely to clash with the “Grand Duke”. Finances could be a problem, especially if they are not cautious. However, hard work and attention to detail will help in the long run – though Rabbits should keep an eye out for jealous colleagues. Love-wise, single Rabbits are advised against hooking up just for the sake of it, while those already committed may have trouble with their partner. Rabbits may be bad-tempered or moody this year and are advised against making impulsive decisions.

 
DRAGON (1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012)
This is a year of ups and downs for the fiery Dragon, with outcomes uncertain. Professionally, they are advised to keep their head down and work hard, as dedication will pay in the long run. Financial life may be a bit difficult, so be prepared. On the relationship front, single Dragons are advised to be careful who they choose, while couples should take care of their partners as things may get turbulent. To keep problems at bay, pay attention to your health, exercise, and keep a cool head.

 
SNAKE (1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013)
This year promises to be fairly good for Snakes, especially their finances. Snakes who have been working hard could find that their diligence starts paying off. Those in business will encounter more opportunities, though those working for others may suffer jealousy from co-workers if they don’t keep their heads down. In terms of love, Snakes will be generally lucky and make excellent friendships that may grow into more. Those already paired off can expect the relationship to last, provided both partners make time for each other. Snakes are advised not to neglect their health this year and seek medical advice if they have any problems.

 
HORSE (1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014)
Horses are urged to remain positive this year despite the setbacks. Those running a business are advised to be careful with their investments, especially if they are planning to expand. Career-wise, they may face difficulties initially, but eventually things will fall into place. Single Horses may not be very lucky in love this year, while those in couples may suffer quarrels – though handled properly, they should not cause long-term damage. Horses will be generally healthy this year but should be on guard for liver and stomach complaints.

 
SHEEP (1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015)
The Year of the Rabbit will be generally lucky for the Sheep – especially when it comes to work. They will encounter good financial fortune, though they are still advised to keep a check on their spending. Building a network will be beneficial for those in business, while employees can expect a promotion or raise. When it comes to love, though, the grass may lose its shine if Sheep become too possessive. To keep peace, couples are advised to give each other space, while singles are urged to look (and look again) before hooking up. Health is generally good for the Sheep this year provided they don’t get too stressed out at work.

MONKEY (1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016)
The Water Rabbit may bring a year of peace, blessings and happiness for Monkeys. Their hard work and perseverance should finally pay off, though they should be wary of get-rich-quick schemes. Those in business should be cautious before expanding, while those working for others may just make a breakthrough. This year shines very bright for Monkey’s love prospects, but if they prefer singledom, they should not push themselves into a relationship. Those already in love are expected to strengthen their bonds. Healthwise, they may face some minor problems.

 
ROOSTER (1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1992, 2005, 2017)
This year will be financially average for Roosters, and they are advised against making rash decisions. Those in business should think twice before investing, while employees may have to make some adjustments. Roosters in a relationship may suffer some turbulence and must pay attention learn to work-life balance. Single Roosters, however, may have to work very hard to find the right one. On the health front, Roosters can expect a year of flourishing and stability provided they adopt good habits.

 
DOG (1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018)
The Water Rabbit year brings luck and fortune for the Dog, both financially and in relationships. Dogs can make good returns on investments and breakthroughs in their jobs. Those in government jobs will do particularly well, provided they seize opportunities at the right time. Dogs are also very lucky in love this year, especially single pooches, who can expect to enjoy many romantic encounters. Those already in a relationship, however, should work hard at being faithful if they want to maintain harmony at home. Dogs are advised to adopt healthy habits to avoid physical problems.

 
PIG (1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019)
This year may bring Pigs everything they have been waiting for. Their overall financial fortunes will be fairly good this year, with great opportunities for expansion and promotion. Pigs in the sales and finance industry will do particularly well, while those running businesses will find lots of support from friends. The Pig will also be very lucky in love this year, so singles should seek the “right one” for that romantic fairy-tale. Homelife for those with partners will be harmonious and loving. Health for Pigs will be average, though, and the advice is to avoid overindulgence and too many sleepless nights. 

Compiled by Ramona Varma

Ramona Varma