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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023431

2 more bodies found near HTMS Sukhothai wreckage site, 16 still missing

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2022

Two more bodies believed to be sailors from the ill-fated HTMS Sukhothai were found floating in the Gulf of Thailand on Saturday night, the Royal Thai Navy said.

The two new bodies bring to eight the number of bodies retrieved on Saturday, one week after the corvette sank in rough seas last Sunday.

The navy said of the bodies found so far, eight are undergoing identification process, which will take up to four days.

The navy said of the two new bodies found, one was spotted by HTMS Narathiwas at 8.20pm at the Sector 2 area south of Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Bang Saphan, where the corvette sank. Ten minutes later, HTMS Kraburi found another body some 53 kilometres from the Prachuap Khiri Khan coast.

The authorities say 16 sailors are still missing.

HTMS Sukhothai, a Rattanakosin-class corvette, capsized during stormy weather with 105 crew onboard last Sunday night. The ship sank some 20 nautical miles (32 kilometres) off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Bang Saphan district.

Before Saturday, the search and rescue mission discovered seven bodies, and all have been confirmed to be Sukhothai’s crew members.

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Navy ship sinks, rescue mission underway

Bodies of 4 HTMS Sukhothai crew found, hunt on for remaining 25

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023430

Phrae restaurant collapses under weight of partying diners

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2022

As many as 18 people were injured when a wooden house on stilts that serves as a restaurant collapsed under the weight of diners in Phrae’s Muang district.

Police said the incident took place at about 4.30pm on Saturday as members of an insurance company were having a party.

“Of the 18 injured, 11 were sent to Phrae Hospital, three to Phrae Christian Hospital and four to the Phrae-Ram Hospital,” Muang Phrae Police Station chief Pol Colonel Pongpeera Karaket said.

He added that at least three people had suffered bad fractures.

“The police will summon the restaurant owner for questioning,” he added.

Diner Wannee Intajuang said she and her colleagues had gathered for a celebration. “Some 50 people were attending,” she said, adding that the floor fell through when the group had gathered to take a photograph together.

She said she escaped unscathed because she was not standing where the floor collapsed.

Restaurant owner Suwit Sombat said the floor collapsed because it could not take the weight of so many people, adding that he would have warned them if he had seen them earlier.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023429

Pomp and pageantry: Anna Sueangam-iam off to New Orleans for Miss Universe crown

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2022

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport was buzzing on Saturday as supporters showed up to see off Anna Sueangam-iam as she headed to the US to vie for the Miss Universe crown.

The 71st Miss Universe 2022 pageant is scheduled to be held on January 14-15 in New Orleans.

The beauty queen and her 12 pieces of luggage were accompanied by officials of TPN Global, which owns the copyright of Miss Universe Thailand.

Anna, 24, who has earned a name as an actress and model, was crowned Miss Universe Thailand 2022 on July 30. She had previously participated in the Miss Thailand 2020 pageant in Chiang Mai and had been included in the Top 16 list.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023428

Tuhao’s wife arrested in Bangkok over money laundering charges

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2022

Police swooped in at a condominium in Bangkok and arrested the police colonel wife of alleged triad leader Chaiyanat “Tuhao” Kornchayanant on money laundering charges.

Police also arrested six other alleged accomplices in the operation on Saturday afternoon.

Pol Colonel Wattanaree Kornchayanant, who is the superintendent of the police foreign affairs division, and the other suspects are being detained at Metropolitan Police Bureau for interrogation led by chief investigator Pol Maj-General Noppasin Poolsawat.

Wattanaree is a niece of Pol General Pracha Promnok, a former National Police chief and former deputy minister under the Yingluck Shinawatra government.

Police said they plan to arrest another 15 Thai and Chinese suspects believed to be involved in the case.

“The key suspect is Tuhao’s grandson who has reportedly left Thailand,” police added.

Chaiyanat is a Chinese businessman who was granted Thai citizenship after marrying a senior police officer and is believed to be behind a Chinese triad dealing in drugs and other criminal activities.

After he surrendered on November 23, police raided many sites in Bangkok and other provinces believed to be the bases of Chaiyanat’s alleged network. They include 50 houses in two luxury residential projects in Bangkok, eight companies in Phuket, and a non-profit organisation in Chiang Mai.

Assets worth more than 3 billion baht have also been confiscated.

More than 100 Chinese nationals have been arrested in relation to the case and are being questioned. Some 27 immigration police officers have also been found to have been helping these Chinese triads to stay illegally in Thailand.

Former massage parlour tycoon and politician Chuvit Kamolvisit has been exposing businesses run by Chinese triads and pushing the authorities to take firm action.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023422

Harrowing account of HTMS Sukhothai’s last moments posted on Facebook by ‘friend of survivor’

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2022

Before the HTMS Sukhothai corvette capsized in the Gulf of Thailand last Sunday night, cracks were seen on the port side of its hull near a gun bay, a retired naval commander quoted a survivor as saying.

Strong waves sent seawater gushing in through the cracked hull, former commander Kritdecha Sweyanont wrote on Facebook. He said he was quoting Lieutenant Junior Grade Sayan Kitkiat who was on the ship that night.

Kritdecha said Sayan explained what happened on the vessel during a “homecoming” get-together with friends earlier on Saturday. Kritdecha said they had been colleagues before he retired from the navy.

He quoted his former colleague as saying that the HTMS Sukhothai started to tilt to the left before it sank. Next, all three power generators and one emergency generator stopped working, which caused the main engine to fail and control of the ship to be lost, Kritdecha said.

Some members of the crew hesitated before jumping off the ship, he said.
Many of those who jumped into the sea said they felt “strong suction” and tried to hold on to each other to keep from drowning, he said.

The ship’s commander was the last to leave the HTMS Sukhothai, Kritdecha said.

Kritdecha is now head of disaster prevention and mitigation at the Ang Thong Tambon Administrative Organisation in Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Thap Sakae district.

The warship sank off Prachuap Khiri Khan with 105 people on board as it was patrolling in rough seas.

Seventy-six sailors were rescued and 14 bodies have been recovered, eight of which have been officially confirmed as being crewmen from the ship.

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https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023420

BMA hopes to present Bangkok creatively via new film fest

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2022

Stephanie Adair

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is holding a film festival next month in a bid to push the capital’s soft power through films, as well as support the local film industry and economy.

The event, being held at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) during the weekend of January 20-22, will also feature the “Bangkok, The Creative City” seminar and workshops led by experts, directors and actors. On the agenda are topics such as editing and filming techniques, as well as script writing.

At a press conference on Friday, deputy Bangkok governor Sanon Wangsrangboon said: “The Bangkok film festival originates from our 12 months of activities in the capital. Our outdoor film screenings gained a lot of interest, helped many companies and created jobs.

“Organising festivals is not just about happiness, but also about promoting industries that were hit badly by the Covid-19 pandemic.” 

The upcoming festival will also showcase amateur filmmakers through a contest in which Bangkokians can submit self-produced 10 to 15-minute-long films under the theme “Connecting Bangkok 2030”. The contest is only open to people aged 28 or less. 

A 65,000-baht cash prize will be awarded to the top contestant, followed by 45,000 baht for the first runner-up, 30,000 baht for the second runner-up and 15,000 baht each for the four honourable mentions.

The deadline for submission is January 15, and winning films will be screened during the three-day festival.

Find out more about the competition at www.pr-bangkok.com.

Stephanie Adair