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More than a million
meth pills torched
Saksit Meesubkwang
The Shan State Army (SSA) proudly set fire to what they claim was one of the
largest drug seizures on the Thai-Myanmar border.
The bonfire took place at the Shan State Army Doi Kawwan base in Myanmar,
across the border from Chiang Rai province on June 6.
 More
than a million meth pills go up in smoke.
The ceremony was presided over by Col. Yawdserk, head of the SSA, and
witnessed by a number of invited guests and media.
The SSA soldiers torched some 1.1 million methamphetamine pills with a
street value in Thailand of 28.5 million baht. The pills were reportedly
seized from the pro-junta militia led by Ja Seu-bo.
According to an SSA source, this was one of the biggest hauls ever seized
and was a result of a tip-off.
Military sources at Thai Army‘s Pha Muang Special task force revealed that
the SSA has long fought with yaba or methamphetamine dealers in the known
areas for smuggling along the Mekong River, in Chiang Saen District.
Burmese military volunteers are said to protect drug smuggling caravans who
cross into Thailand providing the illegal pills to Thai drug dealers.
Panda pregnancy attempts fail
Linda Ratchai
The artificial insemination on the female panda Linhui at the Chiang Mai Zoo
has not produced a pregnancy according to the chief of the panda exhibit.
 Linhui
seen here back on April 3rd during the artificial insemination procedure at
the Chiang Mai zoo.
The latest ultrasound conducted on Linhui failed to show an embryo said
Prasertsak Buntragulpoontawee.
Linhui was artificially inseminated on April 3rd and weeks later her hormone
levels increased causing excitement and high hopes that the procedure had
been a success.
In the past months zoo officials have made several attempts to get Linhui
and her partner Chuang Chuang to mate but neither has shown interest in one
another.
Zoo officials said that Linhui weighs 110 kilos and is healthy.
Some 30,000 people visit the panda exhibit at Chiang Mai zoo every month.
Chuang Chuang and Linhui are on loan from China and in the past 3 years over
2 million tourists have visited the pandas generating 103 million baht in
income for the zoo.
Celebrating the
traditional Sueb Chata
Jumping through the ring of
fire was one of the popular attractions.
Linda Ratchai
The Prolong forest-Maekuang-Maelao Rivers’ Life ceremony this year was held
at Doi Nang Kaew, Ban Pang-An Tambon Pamiang in Doi Saket district on the
3rd June with many citizens, provincial organizations, schools and
universities joining the ceremony.
 Monks
join in the painting competition.
Mr. Prommin Puangmala, president of Protect Meakuang forest network said
that the organizations was formed from the 55 communities of 6 Tambons which
are Saded Thep, Pamiang, Luang Nue, Chaeng Doi, Maepong, Doi Saket and
Hueykaew to protect and develop communities and the natural resources in
Maekuang area, an idea that first came from His Majesty the King.
To mark His Majesty the King’s 80th birthday this year the network held the
Prolong forest and Maekuang-Maelao Rivers’ Life ceremony to bring awareness
on ways to protect the forests and the environment
 11
year old Panujarin Insaeng smiling shyly during her musical performance.
The many activities throughout the day included HM the King’s worship
ceremony, exhibitions, local music performances, painting and essay
competition for the children among other events.
The prolong life ceremony is called “Sueb Chata” in Thai. There are three
kinds of “Sueb Chata” ceremonies; “Sueb Chata Kon” to lengthen man’s life,
“Sueb Chata Ban” to lengthen the village’s life and “Sueb Chata Muang” to
lengthen the country’s life.
Amazing Lanna campaign is launched
Major effort to attract more tourists
Linda Ratchai
Tourism leaders and organizations in Chiang Mai Province have jointly
cooperated to launch Amazing Lanna in a bid to stimulate provincial tourism
industry during the green (rainy) season.
 Kanok
Suwanwisoot, Junnapong Saranak and Washarapong Subannapong, Chiang Mai
Travel Business Association vice president announcing the Amazing Lanna
promotion.
The Director-General of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Region 1,
Mr. Junnapong Saranak, in collaboration with Chiang Mai tourism businesses
have issued a project aimed to stimulate tourism figures during green
season, promoting low prices of tour packages.
The project was officially announced at the tourism fair at Impact Arena
Muangthong Thani in Bangkok and the Green Season promotion will continue
through September.
Each tour package will take tourists on visits to important and historical
places in Chiang Mai province and provide additional privileges.
Some 50 specially prepared travel packages that involve 300 local businesses
made up of hotels, resorts, restaurants and spas will attempt to attract
more tourists to Chiang Mai during the low season.
The travel packages include the Amazing Cookery and Spa, Amazing Cultural
Tour and the Amazing Golf Adventure among others.
Local tourism officials fear that visitor numbers between June and September
this year will decrease 14% over last year and this has prompted them to
create this special promotion.
Interested visitors can search for further information at
www.amazinglannajao.com (at press time the web-site was not working) or by
calling 053-524533-4.
Evacuation drills held in Mae Tang
Rescue workers preparing for
floods and mudslides during the drills that took place last week.
The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Regional Center:
Region 10 and local units in Chiang Mai province conducted evacuation drills
in order to prepare residents living in flood prone and mudslide areas. The
drills took place in Mae Tang district of Chiang Mai on June 6th.
 Only
a drill as rescue teams learn different life saving techniques.
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation coordinates with other
agencies to revise and adjust their disaster prevention plans every year.
The special committee responsible for preventing disasters instructed the
Prevention and Mitigation Regional Center: Region 10 to conduct the
evacuation drills in Chiang Mai province. The drills consisted of a Field
Training Exercise (FTX) where simulations were conducted.
Chiang Mai Governor Wichai Srikwan said the province has often encountered
floods and mudslides, and the evacuation drills allowed people to be
prepared when such disasters occur. (CMM Reporters/NNB)
Health authorities on alert
The Minister of Public Health Mongkol Na Songkhla has
ordered provincial health officials and hospitals nationwide to closely
monitor nine severely threatening diseases during the three-month rainy
season, starting this month.
The nine diseases include bird flu, influenza, lung inflammation and dengue
fever, Dr. Mongkol said. He noted that he had ordered health officials and
some 800,000 village health volunteers to closely follow deaths reported
among poultry in the country’s villages.
However, no new bird flu victims were reported in Thailand during the first
five months of this year, he said.
Disease Control Department director-general Thawat Suntrajarn said his
agency had warned the public about the diseases because they usually recur
the rainy season.
Dr. Thawat said a total of 21,919 patients suffering from one of the nine
diseases were reported in the country during May. (TNA)
SEC warns of rampant
illegal mutual funds
Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission has warned
the public to invest in mutual funds with caution, saying that illegal
mutual funds are rampant now.
Jarupan Intararung, director of the SEC Secretarial Office, said as many as
20 illegal mutual funds had been found providing services at present.
Over 30 cases have been reported by persons who were lured to invest in the
mutual funds and incurred huge losses. One investor lost nearly Bt6 million.
Accordingly, the SEC advises the public to check background data thoroughly
before deciding to invest in any particular mutual fund, suggesting that
investors should not opt to invest in local funds which offer
higher-than-usual investment returns.
“Illegal mutual funds have mushroomed in a larger number than usual since
January. They include ones arrested earlier and new ones,” she said.
Some illegal funds lured people to invest by placing advertisements on
websites or sending them emails while others phoned people to persuade them
to attend seminars where they were induced to invest by offering hefty
returns.
Certain funds promised that investors would get their principal back within
one month. They also took potential investors to visit their modern offices
to win their trust.
Many people were cheated because they expected hefty investment returns and
failed to study investment data thoroughly.
She said the SEC had investigated and taken legal action against illegal
mutual funds on a continual basis. Such funds are operated and owned by both
Thais and foreigners. (TNA)
Silk carpet warehouse
goes up in flames
Factory workers of the Chiang
Rai Northern Garment company try to salvage what is left from the fire that
destroyed the warehouse.
Saksit Meesubkwang
A carpet and garment factory in Chiang Rai went up in flames during the
early hours of June 3 causing an estimated 10 million baht in damages.
Police and firefighters were called to the Chiang Rai Northern Garment
Company located in the Doi Saken area in Tambon Robwieng.
The fire apparently started in the warehouse next to the offices of the
factory.
Six fire engines and dozens of firefighters spent more than an hour trying
to contain the flames. No injuries were reported.
The factory owner, Mr Kongmian sae Chern, stated he employed 300 workers who
produced silk carpets for export to the US and England. The charred
warehouse consumed all the silk material that was used to make the products.
Police Colonel Pratak of the Chiang Rai Police station said the cause of
fire is under investigation but that the forensic police suspect an
electrical short circuit may be to blame.
North Koreans keep coming across
Saksit Meesubkwang
The governor of Chiang Rai province, Amornphan Nimanant, has ordered
provincial officials to investigate who is behind the smuggling of North
Koreans crossing into Chiang Rai at numbers not seen before.
 Through
an interpreter, Mae Lao police seen here questioning four North Korean women
who entered Thailand illegally.
Apparently the North Koreans who have fled their country via China and then
cross into Thailand from Laos are being assisted by a smuggling syndicate
based in Chiang Rai.
The latest arrests occurred on June 6 when Police Lt. Col. Phirom Sutha of
the Mae Lao police station stopped a tour bus destined for Bangkok.
Four North Korean women were detained after they failed to produce the
proper immigration documents and were taken into custody.
According to the police they will be charged with entering Thailand
illegally.
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