Chiang Mai News & Events

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ACCIDENT

Chiang Mai-bound train derails in tunnel



UTTARADIT : -- Six carriages of a Chiang Mai-bound express train derailed early yesterday in an over-100-year-old tunnel in Uttaradit's Muang district. No injuries were reported.

The train left Bangkok on Friday night with 415 passengers, many of whom were foreign tourists.

It derailed at around 3am yesterday in the 382-metre-long Khao Pleung tunnel, located between Ban Pang Ton Phueng in Uttaradit and Huai Rai Station in Den Chai, Phrae.

The six carriages ended up leaning against the tunnel wall; however, its five leading carriages were undamaged and able to resume their journey to Den Chai.

The affected passengers were transported by rail trolleys to Sila-at Station, where 15 buses took them to Chiang Mai and other destinations.

The derailment caused Bangkok- and Chiang Mai-bound train services to be suspended for hours to allow for track repairs.

The Nation

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Storm causes flooding, landslides across the North


A tractor removes debris from a landslide, which blocked a road between Pua and Bo Kluea districts in Nan province. The landslide was caused by tropical storm  "Mangkhut".

Dozens of villages and paddy fields in the North are submerged under floodwater caused by the tropical storm "Mangkhut".

Torrential rains over the past three days in Nan province caused a landslide and paralysed transport in Pua district's Tambon Phukha and Bo Kluea district.

Phu Kha National Park officials were trying to remove rocks and debris from the landslide on a local road.

People were advised to avoid the park and to use provincial highway number 1081 instead.

Meanwhile, the Water Resources Department's Flash Flood and Landslide Early Warning Centre instructed officials in Tha Wang Pha district to prepare to evacuate people in 13 villages to safer areas.

Soldiers from Mobile Development Unit 13 were deployed to help local people get out of areas at risk.

In Uttaradit province, the heavy rain left paddy fields in two villages flooded.

The provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office has warned locals in mountainous areas in Lab Lae district to keep alert for signs of flash floods and landslides.

People living in Tambon Thung Yang and Tambon Phai Lhom in Lab Lae were advised to move their belongings to higher ground due to the increasing flood.

In Pai, in Mae Hong Son province, officials were closely monitoring the level of the Pai River.

While the amount of water has yet to exceed critical levels, local people were told to be on standby around the clock and to prepare for another storm, Utor, which could reach the area in the near future.

Pai district chief Chathip Rujanaseri said a disaster prevention operation centre had been set up to handle any flood, but there had been no reports of damage to date.

Meanwhile, floodwater in Mae Sai, in Chiang Rai province in the far North, has been receding.

Local people including merchants in Mae Sai market were cleaning out sand and mud left in their homes and shops.

Some tourists were still visiting Mae Sai.

Some woke up early in the morning and offered food to local monks yesterday, while others went across the border to the duty-free market in Myanmar's Tachilek town, as they learned that the Sai River level had receded over the past two days.

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Pervert Shows His Penis At Tourists At An Internet Café In Chiang Mai



The care-taker of a Chiang Mai internet café was reported to have shown his penis to tourist customers who were in the café.

CHIANG MAI: -- [PDN]; Police were able to arrest a 23 year-old Sittiwat after he was reported to have shown his penis to his customers in an internet café he was taking care of.

Mr. Sittiwat admitted that he did show his penis to tourists as he sexually aroused.

The victim who was a Japanese tourist said that as she was surfing the internet, Mr. Sittiwat suddenly approached her and made noises, she said that he even showed his penis to her.

She said that she was shocked and run down to report his actions to the police officers.

Police have now detained Mr. Sittiwat at Chiang Mai Police station, where he’ll be charged for immoral conduct.

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ACCIDENT

Chiang Mai train bound for Bangkok derails



CHIANG MAI: -- A Bangkok-bound train from Chiang Mai derailed in Lampang yesterday morning, but there were no casualties.

Somchai Kongchuensin, a senior official of the State Railway of Thailand, said there were 80 passengers on the train at the time of the accident.

He said the derailment happened at 6.35am in Lampang's Hang Chat district.

More than 50 officials and engineers rushed to the scene to put the diesel locomotive back on its tracks.

More than three hours passed before the locomotive and its 10 carriages were ready to resume operations.

A new locomotive was coupled at the next station to bring the 10 carriages to Bangkok.

Somchai said relevant officials would investigate the derailment further to determine the exact cause.

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Authorities Target Dangerous Foreign Drivers in Chiang Mai



CHIANG MAI: -- The chief of the Chiang Mai transport office, Chanchai Kilapaeng, has announced the opening of a special service center that will help to ensure foreign drivers and those visiting the city abide by the local traffic laws.

The aim of the center is to try and help reduce the number of accidents caused by foreign tourists who are unfamiliar with the roads and traffic laws in Chiang Mai.

Many of these drivers are also unlicensed.

 The plan to introduce the service center was agreed after multi-agency discussions involving the Chiang Mai transport office, tourist police, traffic police and immigration officials.

 During the discussions, Mr Chanchai said the various officials discussed the possibility of introducing measures in order to reduce road traffic accidents and other problems caused on the roads by foreign tourists who are not only unfamiliar with Chiang Mai’s road network, but who also get behind the wheel of a vehicle without having the correct documentation, such as an international driving license.

 Mr Chanchai went on to announce the start of an advertising campaign that will be used to promote the new service center is to be launched by the end of October.

 Police will then actively begin cracking down on dangerous foreign drivers who violate traffic laws and/or drive without a valid license from 1st November 2013.

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ATM CARD SKIMMER

New ATM card skimmer found in Chiang Mai

CHIANG MAI: -- Chiang Mai Tourist Police yesterday warned the public that a new kind of ATM card skimmer had been installed on an ATM machine in the downtown market area to steal people's information and ultimately their cash.

Pol Captain Amorn Sopa said a bank had alerted police after it found a small chip along with a camera attached to the card slot at one of its ATM machines.

This chip, which allows criminals to steal information, was not very visible to the naked eye as it had been painted over to match the machine's body, he said.

A police stakeout to try to catch the offender was unsuccessful as nobody showed up to check on the machine, so officers removed the skimmer and camera, and added the information to its database.

Another bank also alerted police that some customers had complained about large sums of money being withdrawn from their account, Amorn said.

So, police studied the security-camera footage and detected an Arab or a fair-skinned South Asian person withdrawing large sums.

Police suspect a foreign tourist bought counterfeit cards with stolen information cheaply online and was using it to fund their travel in Thailand.

Amorn has urged the public to alert the police and banks of any suspicious activity at ATMs.

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CHIANG MAI BOMBING

Four wounded in Chiang Mai bombing

CHIANG MAI: - Police officials report that there were multiple bombings in Chiang Mai last night, saying no group or individual has come forward to claim responsibility, while acknowledging the incidents were the work of ill intentioned individuals creating public alarm.

The first violent attack was on a PTT fuel station in Muang District at around half past eight, the police said, adding four people were injured, three of whom were station employees while the other was a customer. All the injured were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

About one hour after the event, another attack occurred in Boonrawd Co.Ltd. in Sarathee District where an unknown number of attackers threw two grenades into the company’s compound.

One bomb exploded while the the other did not. No one was injured during this attack.

Finally at 10.15 PM, another bomb went off at the Andaman Seafood Restaurant in Muang District, Chiang Mai.

The blast wrecked two cars but fortunately no casualties or injuries were caused.

Police are conducting an investigation into the triple attacks.


22 Mar 2014, (NNT)

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4 FLIGHTS RETURNED BACK

Chiang Mai haze forces four flights to turn back

CHIANG MAI: Four flights were forced to return to Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports yesterday morning after being unable to land at Chiang Mai Airport due to poor visibility because of the haze, said Chiang Mai Airport director Wing Commander Lakchai Chaloeyprach.

AirAsia's Kuala Lumpur-Chiang Mai and Don Mueang-Chiang Mai planes returned to Don Mueang while Bangkok Airways' Subarnabhumi-Chiang Mai plane and Thai Airways' Subarnabhumi-Chiang Mai plane returned to Suvarnabhumi.

With rainfall forecast for Chiang Mai and the upper North today, he said the situation should improve soon.

Passengers who stayed on at the airport were given refunds. They understood the situation, so there was no problem, he added.

Chiang Mai's particles smaller than 10 microns (PM10) yesterday was 282 micrograms per cubic metre at tambon Chang Pheuk and 234 micrograms at tambon Sri Phum, well beyond the safety level of 120 micrograms.

Other northern provinces also witnessed their PM10 readings exceed the safe level yesterday morning - 133 micrograms in Nan; 220 micrograms in Phayao; 165 micrograms in Lampang's Muang district and 138 micrograms in Mae Mo district; 176 micrograms in Lamphun; and 270 in Chiang Rai's Muang district and 234 micrograms in Mae Sai district.

Mae Hong Son reported the highest amount of PM10 at 323 micrograms.

Haze in Mae Hong Son in the past three days had prompted Nok Air to suspend its daily flights to the province while poor visibility affected land transport, lamented Mae Hong Son's Joint Public-Private Committee chairman Supoj Klinpraneet.

He said the province's 4,500-room accommodation sector was directly hit and was now only about 20-50 per cent booked. The haze cost the province's tourism Bt10 million.

If the problem weren't solved fast, the province's income from tourism would decline to less than Bt1 billion this year, compared to the 2013's Bt1 billion and the 2012's Bt1.5 billion, he added.

Chiang Rai's Tourism Industry Council vice president Thanwarat Sripanya said if the haze issue was not resolved soon, it could affect the province's tourism during Songkran.


the nation 23-03-2014

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TOURISTS IN THE NORTH

Tourists pack popular destinations in North, Northeast



CHIANG RAI, October  27

It is winter again in Thailand and several popular tourist destinations, especially those in the North and Northeast are, undoubtedly, packed with local and foreign tourists.

Many adventurous tourists are brave enough to travel up to the tops of high mountains in the North before the sun rises to appreciate the beauty of the sea of fog and wildflowers which are blooming at this time of year.

Those who have travelled to Thailand’s northernmost province of Chiang Rai would know immediately that tourists are literally everywhere, especially in the province’s most attractive places.

For example, Doi Mae Salong in Mae Fah Luang district where ethnic minority hilltribes grow and sell organic tea, the weather atop the mountain early Sunday dropped to just 15 Celsius, but the chilly weather was not an obstacle as large crowds of tourists strolled and admired the beauty of tea plantation.

Hilltribe vendors normally enjoy a slow-paced life. But not today as their products, including vegetables and fruits which are normally grown in colder climates, but now are planted in Chiang Rai and are quickly sold out to visitors.

Weekend visitors trekking around Phu Soi Dao National Park in Uttaradit province bordering Lao felt the cold weather as the temperature dropped to 20 degrees Celsius.

Wildflowers bloomed and emitted varied fragrances throughout the entire park.

Amazed tourists viewed crystal clear dew on park grass as provincial weather forecasters announced that the minimum temperature atop the mountain would be around 14 degrees Celsius--and winter this year will be much colder than usual.

In the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani bordering Lao, tourists flocked to admire the natural beauty of Pha Taem National Park and to also become the first to view the sun when it rises in Thailand.

The Meteorological Department calculated when the sun rises in the countryside from this area.

Tourists could also see the mighty Mekong River separating Thailand from Lao and simultaneously could see wildflowers which usually bloom from October to Feburary.

Closer to the Thai capital, a new tourist destination called Khao Kra Jom in Ratchaburi province is receiving huge attention from enthusiastic tourists.

Weather this morning there measured only 15-16 degrees Celsius.

The province also offers several exciting tourism spots, especially along the Thailand-Myanmar border.


TNA

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FIGHTING THE HAZE in CHIANG MAI

Royal Thai Air Force sends plane to fight haze in Chiang Mai





CHIANG MAI: 06 - 03 - 2015

As hazy sky from forest fires in the North remains a concern, today the Royal Thai Air Force sent a plane to spray water to reduce the haze in Chiang Mai.

The use of aircraft to reduce hazy sky was in respond to request by the Chiang Mai governor following the continual haze that is blanketing the North.

Air Force Commander-in-Chief ACM Tritos Sonjang said he has ordered the Air Force Disaster Relief Centre to despatch a BT-67 plane from the 46th Wing based in Phitsanulok to fly to the 41st Wing in Chiang Mai to support local authorities to fight the haze yesterday.

The plane began operation today in areas around Chiang Mai town.

The plane will fly four missions a day with each mission carrying 3,000 litres of water to spray.

The mission begins today until March 31 and is expected to reduce the hazy atmosphere in Chiang Mai and adjacent areas.

[Oytopikos]

CHINAG MAI: -- FOUR boys and a girl aged from five months to eight years were slashed to death yesterday by a man suffering from schizophrenia in Chiang Mai's Chai Prakarn district. A woman who was the mother of three of the children was injured.

Asapa Siwua, 22, who police said had been released from Suan Prung Psychiatric Hospital in Chiang Mai a month ago, allegedly went inside a house next to his house with a large knife and killed the children. They were identified as Wasant Sae Ying, Ahow Sae Ying, Singju Sae Ying, Hao Sang Sae Ying and Theerawut Denwipailertlam.

Yikor Sae Jern, the mother of two boys and one girl who were killed, sustained a knife wound from her face to her ear. One boy was Yikor's nephew and another her neighbour's son. Some of the children suffered deep throat wounds.Pol Lt Col Sombat Kalasuk, an investigator from Chai Prakarn police, said they suspect the children were playing and making noise, which drove Asapa to become psychotic and brutally kill the children with the knife.

After allegedly killing the children, the man went back inside his own house with the knife. People from the neighbourhood learnt about the incident and surrounded his house but did not go inside, fearing he may attack them.

But when police arrived and got the suspect out of his house, people outside bashed the suspect, injuring him.

The bodies of the children will undergo an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Police will probe to find the suspect's motivation.

The Nation

[Oytopikos]

   

 A Chinese tourist broke her neck and died while sliding on a zip-line in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai, police said Tuesday.

The 32-year-old woman was sliding down a 600-meter (2,000-feet) zip-line on Sunday when a worker failed to grab her during a maneuver to stop her from traveling further, police Col. Adun Somnuk said. She then hit another person in front, he said.

The staff rushed her to a hospital where they told doctors only that she had passed out while zip-lining, Adun told The Associated Press. But an autopsy later showed the woman, who was a doctor, had suffered a broken neck, he said.

Officers sent to inspect the zip-line operation are questioning the staff and witnesses, he said, adding that the staff could be charged with causing death by negligence if there is enough evidence.

Two other zip-line accidents have occurred in Chiang Mai this year. In July, an American tourist broke several ribs after colliding with a Chinese tourist on a zip line. In June, a Chinese tourist fell to his death while sliding through a zip line due to a safety lock malfunction.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/10/13/chinese-tourist-breaks-her-neck-dies-while-zip-lining-in-northern-thai-city/

[Oytopikos]

A 23-year-old Irishman is facing up to 50 years in a Thai prison after he allegedly tried to sell a kilo of cannabis to undercover police officers.


The young Irishman was busted in a sting operation led by officers from Crime Suppression Divison in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand early last week after police claimed that he tried to deal drugs to undercover officers.

Local media report that police arranged to meet the 23-year-old outside of the Chiang Mai Night Plaza Boutique Hotel on Monday October 19 after placing an order with him online.

Crime Suppression Division Commander Lt.Gen Akkaradet Pimolsri claims the Irishman was arrested as he attempted to sell a kilo of marijuana to officers for  200,000 baht (€5,090).

A video posted online shows the young man denying all knowledge of the incident and accusing officers of trying to set him up.

Reports say he was charged with various drug offenses and was remanded in custody pending further investigation.

A spokesman for Chiang Mai Police confirmed that the arrest of a man from Ireland had occurred on October 19.

It's likely that he will not appear before the Thai courts until 2017.  If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 50-years behind bars.

Thailand is well known for lengthy penalties for drug offenders.


http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/irish-abroad/irishman-arrested-in-thailand-on-drugs-charge-could-face-50-years-behind-bars-if-found-guilty-34144568.html

[Oytopikos]

CityNews – Last night, 18th February, one hundred police officers and tourist police officers raided and roped off the Zoe in Yellow entertainment complex, refusing to let tourists go, testing urine for drugs and arresting tourists without a passport on them.


At 10pm last night, the police raided the complex, quickly roping off the area with police tape to stop anybody leaving or entering.

Some of the police were armed with assault rifles.

The police did random urine testing on many party goers but found no evidence for any substance abuse.

No weapons, drugs or other dangerous items were found on any of the people there.

Immigration police found no evidence of anyone overstaying their visas.

All the tourists who did not have their passport with them were taken to Chiang Mai police station and processed.

[AsprosGatos]

Ήμουν ένας από τους τουρίστες που δεν είχαν διαβατήριο και τον συνέλαβαν. Μας πήγαν με μίνι Bus στο αστυνομικό τμήμα εκεί μου έφεραν το διαβατήριο μου είπαν όμως ότι επειδή έπρεπε να το είχα όταν μου το ζήτησαν, πλήρωσα εγώ και οι υπόλοιποι 5 από 200 μπατ ο καθένας πρόστιμο και φύγαμε. Το επόμενο βράδυ είδα την αστυνομία έξω από την Spice οπότε μάλλον έκαναν και εκεί έλεγχο. Η όλη ιστορία ήταν σόου με κάμερες και φωτογράφους για να δείξουν πως κάτι κάνουν. Τώρα κυκλοφορώ με αντίγραφο του διαβατηρίου.