|
Chiang Mai’s transport project unable to obtain promised funding
Building castles in the air, says CMU
Nopniwat Krailerg
Last year the government’s mobile cabinet meeting in
Lamphun gave the nod to a 145 million baht “mass transportation” study
project and funds should have been available in December, but are still not
forthcoming.
Chaithawat Saowaphon, director of the CMU Information
Service Center told Chiangmai Mail on January 24 that the project was
delayed because the Traffic and Transport Policy and Planning Office had
passed the project to the Social and Economy Development division to handle
and the study team is still waiting for funds.
The study is supposed to cover regulation of red mini
buses, an extra 24 Chiang Mai municipal buses and a study of an electric
tram system. Fond hopes were voiced that it might be possible to proceed
with the project after the current election.
The study team may begin its task in March and the results might be
available within 12 months. For the first three to four months, the team
will focus on the management of public transportation such as routes for red
mini buses and Chiang Mai municipal buses. Conclusions will be presented to
the government to request a budget for improvements. Subsequently, the first
route for an electric tram system will be examined to determine the nature
of the beast, for which no form has yet been decided. “Some organizations
simply publicize their projected ideas although there is no real
advancement. It is like building castles in the air,” said Chaithawat.
Tsunami sounds wake-up call
Earthquake monitoring for Mae Hong Son
Nopniwat Krailerg
A little publicized Richter scale 6.4 earthquake that
struck Burma on the same date as the Richter 9.0 quake off the coast of
Sumatra on December 26, 2004, and devastated six southern states and other
countries, has galvanized Thai authorities into putting some warning
mechanisms into place. Since the epicenter of the Burmese quake was only 100
kilometers from Mae Hong Son, any larger quake in the area could have major
repercussions on Thai citizens in the north, said Pisit Puangsuwan, head of
Mae Hong Son meteorology station.
The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology
has budgeted 100 million baht to set up two earthquake monitors in Mae Hong
Son. One will be installed at the Mae Hong Son meteorology station in Mae Sa
Riang District, the other in the Mae Hong Son immigration division office.
It is anticipated that the equipment will be on place by March 2005.
It is hoped that the monitors will provide sufficient
warning of an impending quake to allow residents of Mae Hong Son and nearby
provinces to prepare themselves. No advisory bulletins on action to take
have yet been issued.
Six pilots get their L-39 jet wings
Saksit Meesubkwang and
Nopniwat Krailerg
An award ceremony was held by RTAF Wing 41 to present six
pilots with their certificates for completing the 563 hour training course
for L-39 jets.
Group
Capt. Wisurin Moonla (middle, front row), commander of Wing 41, with the six
pilots (standing back row).
The six pilots were trained in the L-39 jet which
replaces the obsolete OV-10 Broncos at Wing 41. Use of the OV-10 Broncos
terminated in April 2004 and Chiang Mai’s skies have been largely
unprotected until now.
Protection against aerial attack (and other duties) is now provided by
Fl/Lt. Sorapat Petchmongkol, Fl/Lt. Prinya Chantana, Fly Off. Sorakan
Muenprasert, Fly. Off. Somdoon Soonthornwat, Fly Off. Kittipong Sririnya and
Fly Off. Theppitak Taenkaew. The call signs of the six pilots, in case they
may be needed, are Hardcore, Venus, Luffy, Balance, Spurs and Marino.
Two million baht asked for to finalize demands on luxury resort
Saksit Meesubkwang
The amazing collection of different architectural styles
at the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai Resort has unfortunately
brought some controversy with it. One section, using a similar style to that
of Wat Lai Hin Luang, tambon Lai Hin, Kho Ka district, Lampang has angered
some northern Buddhists who have been critical of the resort’s decision.
In an attempt to compromise, hotel representatives led by
Saveesit Patcharin, the coordinator of the hotel’s construction project,
met Permsak Jinakarn, a village leader, Songsak Kaewmoon, Wat Lai Hin Luang
committee, and Vinpada Buakiaw, the accountant from Wat Lai Hin Luang
monastery on January 18 to find a solution to the controversy.
The temple committee demanded seven changes: 1. the Khong
Door arch must be removed; 2. the Chedi at the hotel must be demolished; 3.
the pattern of the Wihara gable must be changed; 4. the coconut and elephant
arches to be removed; 5. a cement floor must be used instead of a sand floor
in the Wihara area; 6. the roof pattern must be modified; and 7. the sitting
Himaphan animal in front of the Wihara must be removed.
Saveesit pledged that he would submit their demands to
the resort board and the architects responsible for the project; he
apologized for any distress that might have been caused and promised to
inform the temple committee as soon as the board made their decisions.
However, in another twist to the story, two men who
claimed to be temple representatives asked for two million baht from the
resort in order to finalize the problem. A decidedly ‘non-Buddhist’
approach.
Subsequently, representatives from the temple and the
hotel discussed the visit of the two men, with the temple board saying that
it had authorized no such demand. Songsak promised to look into the
accusation as such claims could damage the reputation of the temple
committees.
Night Safari to open
in Songkran this year
But only 30 percent
Nopniwat
Krailerg
The board of the Chiang Mai Night Safari establishment
project revealed its progress after Deputy PM Suwat Liptapanlop had
inspected the project at the beginning of January. The Night Safari board
stated that the night zoo will certainly welcome tourists at the grand
opening scheduled on April 13, 2005, during the Songkran festival. However,
only 30 percent of the night zoo will be ready while 70 percent of the
terrain is still being developed.
As soon as one part is open to public, the other will be
successively developed and more than 2,000 animals will eventually be
supplied to the zoo through the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry.
During the inspection the Deputy PM revealed that Kenya is helping to supply
the zoo after the Kenyan president visited Thailand last year.
In the meantime, the board will rent some species of
wildlife from private organizations. Two companies are being approached, one
of them being Safari World in Bangkok.
Ticket price for the zoo is estimated at 800 baht per
person for both Thais and foreigners. The committee accepted that this is
quite a high price for Thai people; nevertheless, the price of 800 baht was
set to facilitate tour companies making deals on that price in the foreign
market. This rate will be decreased for Thais when the zoo is in operation
with the board finding some way to encourage Thais to visit the zoo through
a more reasonable ticket price.
A cabinet meeting on January 18 gave the nod to the
announcement of the Special Terrain Development of the Enduring Tourism
Committee which presented Chiang Mai Night Safari as a permanent tourist
attraction. Somchai Benjachaiya, secretary of Chiang Mai Night Safari
business and tourism board explained that after receiving the approval of
the cabinet, they must present it to the royal decree board for approval.
The special terrain of the Chiang Mai Night Safari Zoo
covers about 819 rai of the Doi Suthep-Pui National Park in tambon Mae Hia,
Muang district and tambon Nong Kwai, Hang Dong district, Chiang Mai.
Provincial development strategies for Chiang Mai
Autsadaporn
Kamthai and Saksit Meesubkwang
To reach the Chiang Mai Provincial Development
Strategies target of “City of Life and Prosperity” (years 2004-2007),
the city will focus on three main approaches; Invest, Strengthen and
Sustain, stated Chiang Mai Governor Suwat Tantipat.
Under the first strategy, to invest, Chiang Mai will be
promoted as a centre of the Great Mekong Sub-region (GMS) and Bengal
Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)
for development of a knowledge-based economy.
The software industry, ceramics, and medical and health
care businesses are included in the scheme of the knowledge based economy.
Recently, a Software Industry Promotion Agency (SIPA) centre was opened in
Chiang Mai to train personnel and produce software to boost Chiang Mai’s
role as the ICT City.
Chiang Mai’s Spa business is booming and is becoming
a new destination for tourists from Asian countries such as Bhutan, India
and Bangladesh. These tourists turned to the Spa services in Chiang Mai
for their lower service charges than other alternative destinations and
for the enchanting Lanna culture, said Suwat.
Towards the second strategy, tourism business,
handicrafts and agricultural products will be promoted. The province gave
support to both SMEs and OTOPs (Small and medium businesses and “One
tambon one product”) because they increase provincial income, fit the
government aims of poverty eradication and help to conserve local wisdom,
said the governor.
Information about Chiang Mai’s SMEs and OTOPs would
be disseminated to international markets via the government scheme of
“Thailand Plaza” to help introducing Lanna culture to foreigners.
However, as China was an important competitor to
northern agricultural crops, the government has suggested that Chiang Mai
focus on production of crops that China did not produce. “We have to
admit that our agricultural research and development is still lagging and
needs to be improved”, said Governor Suwat.
Under the third strategy, a cultural centre was
established in each district of Chiang Mai and activities are being
conducted at the centres to conserve Lanna culture and promote tourism.
Suwat added, “Drug suppression along the borderline will be continued to
assure security of the northern region.”
In addition to the three main strategies, the SMEs
promotion centre has proposed to work on an eco camping park, handicraft
promotion and modern rice farming.
“The eco camping park project is promoted as another
tourist activity and the selling point of the park is nature,” said
Suwat. At present, a professional team from the SME centres is searching
for an appropriate area for the park and is prepared to install
infrastructure in the areas.
The governor said that although Chiang Mai had high
potential for tourism growth, various tourist activities needed to be
promoted to sustain the growth.
Chiang Mai Strategy to promote OTOP and SMEs in 2005
Saksit Meesubkwang
OTOP and SME promotion consists of production,
development, distribution, stimulation of new ideas and improvement of
tourist sites. This was the strategy given by Thongchai Wongrianthong,
deputy Chiang Mai governor, to promote Chiang Mai OTOP goods in 2005.
He began by saying that it consists of four main steps.
In terms of production, the OTOP board will register the goods and
distribute them to Tambon Administration Organizations (TAO) for promotion
and there will be development committees to control the design and the
packaging. The marketing plan will also distribute goods throughout
Thailand.
A division will be founded to support with capital
injection or to stimulate new ideas responding to the demand of the market.
The systematic procedure will certainly create the credit and motivate OTOP
and SME goods in Chiang Mai, said Thongchai.
Tourism promotion is the life-blood of Chiang Mai and the
northern region. Basically, every province will be asked to inspect new
tourist sites and to improve the old ones. Activities will be held to
attract tourists with the key point being good service. The sites should
provide clean lavatories, restaurants, souvenir shops and public relations
services to promote the attractions and the marketing plan.
For the uninitiated, OTOPs are “One Tambon One
Product” and SMEs are “Small and Medium Enterprises”.
Chiang Mai Zoo goes underwater
Also wants antipodean animals. How much can a koala bear?
Saksit Meesubkwang
A joint venture of private companies to construct a super
aquarium in Chiang Mai Zoo, intended to be the best in the Southeast Asia
region, was discussed at a meeting between Thanapat Pongpamon, Chiang Mai
Zoo director, Rathian Srimongkol, president of the Thailand Zoo Division and
other private investors.
The initial project in 2005 has 61 million baht funding,
and is the first step in the process.
In addition, following the popularity of the Chinese
panda bears, Chiang Mai Zoo is arranging with the Australian government to
provide koala bears for exhibition in Chiang Mai.
An ambitious 98 million baht plan to further improve the
zoo is in place for 2005. This includes projects for animal nurture and
treatment, a penguin exhibition, Nakornping bird farm development, water
supply and water source improvement and the aquarium construction project.
Hopefully the zoo officials know that koalas cannot swim.
San Kamphaeng Road to be promoted as cultural cul-de-sac
Nopniwat Krailerg
Chiang Mai Vice Governor Prinya Parnthong said that the
province is prepared to promote San Kamphaeng Road as a cultural thoroughfare
after PM Thaksin Shinawatra’s proposal to push the road as the first cultural
highway in the country.
San Kamphaeng Road is unique in its distinctive charm and the
project to promote it as a cultural road would help to strengthen its image to
attract tourists, said Prinya.
The National Cultural Committee is led by Ajarn Wattana
Wattanapan and Ajarn Insom Wongsarm and the latter artist has been assigned to
select the art and sculptures to decorate the road, thus removing any
originality the road might have had.
“The sculptures used to decorate this road have to
represent Lanna unique culture and tradition and be related to the location. It
can be contemporary art and reflect the life of local people, such as wooden
elephants,” said Prinya, demonstrating his own striking originality.
The province is also conscious of the safety of road users if
sculptures are placed alongside the roads, said Prinya. Presumably these will be
soft and biodegradable. Various sculptures produced by Lanna artisans will be
placed at start of the road to indicate that the visitors have arrived at the
San Kamphaeng District.
After Vice Governor Prinya has studied the details of the
cultural cul-de-sacs, it will be sent to PM Thaksin for consideration.
Local residents protest the protestors over coal mine assessment studies
Autsadaporn Kamthai
A group of Wiang Haeng residents vented their frustration
towards the non government organizations (NGOs) that have protested and are
obstructing the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and Social Impact Assessment
(SIA) being carried out by Chiang Mai University to measure the effect of the
proposed Wiang Haeng coal mine project.
Cheewin Panunt, a village headman of tambon Muang Haeng,
Wiang Haeng district, who is the leader of the Peace Power Group said, “The
way NGOs hire local residents to protest against and obstruct the progress of
the EIA is uncalled for.”
Cheewin condemned the NGOs methods as destroying the harmony
of local residents and their peaceful way of life. “Most of the protestors
were outsiders and know nothing of local people and they just tried to create
disturbance in the community,” he added.
“The NGO groups do not listen to local opinions but just
keep protesting so most of Wiang Haeng residents feel frustrated with their
unreasonable conduct. They (NGOs) threatened CMU researchers and tried to run
them out of the district without considering that the researchers had done their
jobs according to a cabinet resolution,” said Cheewin.
On January 19, when CMU’s air monitoring vehicle was taking
measurements of Wiang Haeng air quality at Ban Huay Krai in tambon Piang Luang,
a group of protesters encircled the car and threatened the researchers. The CMU
researchers, fearing for their safety, fled the area.
“We can’t stand their unreasonable approach so we, as
local residents, have to show our frustration towards them,” said Cheewin.
“None of us has decided whether the coal mine project is
appropriate because we still await the results of the EIA and SIA to measure the
impact,” he said. “Until the research is finished, the NGOs should let the
research team from Chiang Mai University do their work freely,” he concluded.
A group of the residents have submitted a letter to Chiang
Mai Governor Suwat Tantipat to inform him of the frustration the NGOs have
caused to the community and the disruption to the research of Chiang Mai
University.
Researcher warns Chiang Mai people of air pollution crisis
Dr
Duongchan Apavajirut Charoenmuang, (SRI)
As the weather is getting dry and leaves start to fall,
the working group of the Social Research Institute (SRI) recorded that the
air pollution has increased to worrying level.
Measurements taken in November 2004 recorded 517 sources
of outdoor burning in Chiang Mai inner city areas. This figure of 517 is
greater than the previous year figures by 65 sources.
On January 10, 2005, the air pollution meter at the
Chiang Mai City Hall recorded 131.3 micrograms/cubic meter of 10 micron dust
(the maximum acceptable level is 120 microgram/cubic meter). This figure
indicates that the air quality of Chiang Mai is deteriorating.
According to research done in Bangkok and foreign
countries, if the 10 micron dust level increases, the number of patients
with respiratory diseases or Coronary Artery Disease will also increase. In
February 2004, the rate of garbage burning and forest fires was high
coinciding with an increase in the number of aged people receiving treatment
at hospitals.
Air pollution also blocks the view of Doi Suthep and
causes problems for aircraft landing and taking off and leads to flight
delays. This can have a long-term affect on Chiang Mai tourism and community
welfare, particularly if an accident in flight operations occurs.
American and other tourists have already noticed and
commented on Chiang Mai’s air pollution crisis as smoke covers wide areas
of the city.
Traffic is another main cause of the city’s air
pollution. Mass transportation systems in Chiang Mai should be improved in
order to reduce the use of personal vehicles within inner city areas. Car
users have to regularly check their vehicles to prevent black smoke released
into the environment. Enforcement of the laws on vehicular pollution by the
police would also help, but there is little chance of that occurring.
The easiest way for people to help purify Chiang Mai’s
air is to avoid outdoor burning of garbage and leaves. Leaves should be used
as fertilizer and garbage should be recycled to reduce burning garbage and
the burden on Chiang Mai municipality garbage management.
The critical problem of air pollution should be resolved
early before it becomes impossible to solve. The SRI hopes the warning about
air pollution crisis will not be ignored by the government and general
public, as was the lack of an early warning system until the tsunami brought
another great disaster to the country.
Political bias by police no longer accepted
Inactive Post department gets 11 new members
Nopniwat
Krailerg
Eleven police officers from Lampang, Phrae, Nan and
Chiang Mai provinces have been relocated to inactive posts in the Provincial
Police Bureau Region 5 due to their bias towards particular electoral
candidates.
 Pol.
Lt. Gen. Panupong Singhara Na Ayuthaya, commissioner of the Provincial
Police Bureau Region 5.
The relocations were the result of petitions by locals
who noticed their biased behavior in assisting some candidates. The
politically inclined band of 11 will have inactive posts at the Provincial
Police Bureau Region 5 until February 6, when the general election is over.
These officers disobeyed the regulations requiring them
to be unbiased, said Pol. Lt. Gen. Panupong Singhara Na Ayuthaya,
commissioner of the Provincial Police Bureau. No comment was made on the
possibility that officers wanting a rest until February 6 could simply show
bias towards a particular candidate.
The four high ranking officers are Pol. Lt. Col.
Suthichai Chaona, deputy superintendent of Nong Muang Khai District Police
Station in Phrae; Pol. Lt. Col. Narong Tianhom, inspector of Muang District
Police Station in Lampang; Pol. Lt. Col. Samrit Saengsuwan, inspector at
Phrao District Police Station; Pol. Lt. Col. Nitinart Wittayawutkul, deputy
superintendent at Tawangpha District Police Station in Nan.
The seven lower ranked officers are Pol. Sgt. Maj.
Somporn Yodyok from Wiang Chai District Police Station in Chiang Rai; Pol.
Sen. Sgt. Maj. Wattana Inphol and Pol. Sen. Sgt. Maj. Supachai Nanglae from
Mae Lao District Police Station in Chiang Rai; Pol. Sen. Sgt. Maj. Sanit
Khamnoi and Pol. Sgt. Suchart Chailert from Maung District Police Station in
Chiang Rai; Pol. Sgt. Udom Panprayoon from Tambon Huay Or Police Station in
Chiang Rai and another un-named officer from Chiang Roong Sub-district
Police Station Chiang Rai.
It looks as if the felons will be running riot in Chiang Rai till
February 6.
Condom consuming
Kazaks arrested
Local police lay on laxatives and the evidence pops out
Nopniwat
Krailerg
Pha Muang Task Force and Mae Sai District Police in
Chiang Rai arrested four young Kazaks on January 18 who had, between them,
swallowed 2.8 kilograms of heroin contained in condoms to smuggle into
Kazakhstan. They were identified as Tsoy Alexander, 23; Tarabrin Dmitiy, 21;
Bout Sergey, 22; and Tikhonov Danil, 21.
The Pha Muang Task Force and Mae Sai District Police
Station were tipped off that drugs would be coming through the Mae Sai
border on that day and searched an incoming van carrying the stoned looking
Kazaks. On being x-rayed at Mae Sai Hospital it was seen that they had
something other than tom yam in their tummies and, suspecting that they may
have swallowed drugs, made them take a laxative, and heroin weighing a total
of 2.8 kilograms was excreted.
The value in Thailand of 2.8 kilogram of heroin is about
800,000 baht but the value in foreign countries could be 100 times higher.
The four traffickers confessed that they were approached
to buy the heroin by a dealer in Burma who had delivered the heroin in
condoms at their hotel in Mae Sai district, complete with instructions on
how to swallow them.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Chamnong Kaewsiri, Chiang Rai Provincial
Police Chief, said that the local police had never arrested any Kazak drug
traffickers in Chiang Rai before. He surmised that the four Kazaks may have
engaged in drug trafficking hoping to make quick easy money. In the end, all
they got was free laxatives and a long stay in the monkey house hotel.
Wife of slain headman petitions police
Police rule out political motive
Nopniwat
Krailerg
Penpan Ruenplee, the wife of Saming Ruenplee, a
46-year-old village headman from Ban Noi who was gunned down and seriously
injured in the municipality parking area, as reported in Chiangmai Mail,
is now petitioning police to step up their investigations.
She has approached Pol. Lt. Gen. Panupong Singhara Na
Ayuthaya, commissioner of Provincial Police Bureau Region 5, to hasten the
investigation for the gunman who shot her husband who now lies
semi-paralyzed in McCormick Hospital. Medical reports from Dr. Manoch
Laowong who led the team that removed the bullet from the skull, says brain
death may result.
On the day of the murder attempt the commissioner
confidently stated that he expected little difficulty in tracking the
perpetrator and master minds behind the crime. However, on January 15, with
the crime still unsolved, he called the police of Provincial Police Bureau
Region5, investigation team of Chiang Mai Provincial Police and Tambon Chang
Puek Police Station to confer on the investigation.
The police suspect that a business conflict over a
garbage tip in Doi Tao outweighed other conflicts and so are concentrating
on that. The garbage tip receives many millions of baht a year from Chiang
Mai Municipality. A conflict between business partners and Saming occurred
so the victim branched out to run his own garbage tip leading to an
escalation of the discord. Saming then received many death threats related
to this business conflict.
The police pronouncement has changed from the previous
confident “little difficulty” to now “we hope we can find the assassin
as soon as possible.” The victim’s wife shares those hopes.
Burmese and rebel forces clash on Thai border
Thai forces tightly control border crossings
Saksit
Meesubkwang
Burmese soldiers, along with their Red Star terrorist
accomplices, have engaged in fierce battles with the Karen Kaya minority for
more than a week. Both sides claim to be inflicting deaths and injuries with
the reported figures being 17 Burmese soldiers and Red Star terrorists
killed with 21 casualties and the Karen Kaya tribesmen have suffered five
deaths and five casualties.
The situation between Burmese soldiers and the minority
groups along the Mae Hong Son borderline is still grave, with the noise of
warfare being heard along the border. Thai intelligence is that Burmese
forces have strengthened its army and are now moving closer to the Kaya
military base, but are now facing a food shortage.
Thai authorities have ordered the army to strictly
control the export of goods across the border. The entry of persons and the
goods transported from Thailand to Burma is controlled to prevent the
transport of material support for either the Burmese forces or the
minorities, as a feud could affect Thai security.
The 7th Infantry Regiment put all the checkpoints and
border crossing points, including Mae Hong Son, on high alert and Lieutenant
Gen. Picharnmeth Muangmanee, commander of the 3rd Army Region, has given
orders for Maj. Gen. Tawatchai Wattana, Naresuan Task Force commander, to
take control of the situation regarding the Burmese-Kaya minorities to
prevent the tribesmen escaping into Thailand, and to strengthen the Thai
border forces.
Maj. Gen. Tawatchai said that he has reinforced the
border area in Ban Mae Suay Ou and has distributed weapons to guard the
village. After receiving news that a businessman in Ban Huay Deua supportive
of the Burmese and Red Star terrorists had smuggled 200 bags of rice and 800
liters of diesel into Burma via the Nam Piang Din border pass instead of the
usual long-tailed boat, he ordered soldiers guarding the pass to strictly
control goods transport across the border, but this may be closing the
stable door after the horse has bolted.
One suspected Red Star terrorist is being treated in Sri
Sangwal Hospital in Mae Hong Son. He claims to be a Thai who was taking an
innocent stroll in the woods when he was wounded by a bomb. With no picked
flowers to show in evidence, Thai intelligence officers do not believe him.
Police arrest ya ba dealers and a fellow policeman
Policeman’s Samui holiday cut short
Nopniwat
Krailerg
Two drug dealers, Chatchai Jongkij, 19, and Preecha
Watnakorn, 22, were arrested in Mae Prik district, Lampang, and 30,000 ya ba
tablets confiscated. Police from the Provincial Police Bureau Region 5
arrested the pair in a joint exercise with police from Mae Prik District,
Lampang.
The two traffickers were caught driving past the police
box at Mae Prik district. They confessed to buying the ya ba from hill
tribes in Chiang Rai and were to be delivering it to Narong Klangnarong who
lives in Rangsit, Prathum Thani. Police contacted the Prathum Thani police
to check Narong’s record and found out that he had arrest warrants for him
issued by Suratthani and Chumporn courts.
The two arrested dealers are residents of Chumporn
province in the South of Thailand. On being questioned, they quickly
fingered Pol. Capt. Decho Kaew-am, deputy inspector at the Provincial Police
Bureau Region 8, claiming he hired and financed them to become drug runners.
Officers from the Samui District Police Station arrested
Pol. Capt. Decho on Samui Island in Suratthani where he was hiding in a
rented a bungalow. He was brought to Lampang and is being questioned as
police believed that others might be involved.
Drug trafficking couple arrested for overloaded underwear
Police probably think the man was nuts
Nopniwat
Krailerg
Mae Sai police in Chiang Rai arrested Lan Rajtan, 41, and
Noi Singhchai, 40, a couple from Kasetvisai district in Roi Et province, for
dealing and drug possession while traveling on a bus from the Mae Sai border
to Chiang Rai.
On January 21, Mae Sai District Police station in
cooperation with Pha Muang task force set up checkpoints on Mae Sai-Chiang
Rai Road as it was learned that ‘speed’ would be transported from Burma
to Mae Sai for distribution to small dealers in the northeast.
The police flagged down a bus loaded with passengers.
Checking the passengers they noticed a couple acting suspiciously. They were
patted down but nothing was found so they were asked to leave the bus and go
to the security box for a thorough inspection. A plastic bag, containing
1,130 tablets of speed were found attached to the Lan’s testicles and
another 740 tablets were found in the bra of the apparently overly well
endowed Noi.
The couple confessed that they have been trafficking
drugs from Mae Sai to small drug agents in northeast. They have tried many
tricks to deceive the checkpoint police, but failed to do so this time.
|
