Junta states the Erawan Shrine bombing case is officially closed

We got em (Erawan Shrine) bombers,
case closed

   

Thailand’s Junta, has announced on August 17 the Erawan Shrine bombing case has been solved and is considered closed.  The Erawan Shrine blast killed 20 and wounded 120 people in the centre of Bangkok.  

The first arrest, few weeks after the bombing was Adern Karadak, also known as Bilal Mohamed, he was carrying a forged Polish passport and in searching his apartment bomb making equipment was found. 

The Erawan Shrine is a popular tourist attraction and because of this many of the dead and maimed were foreign nationals on holiday. Originally it was thought the bombing was in retaliation of the forced deportation of more than 100 ethnic Chinese Uighur back to China.   However, on closer observation the police discounted that theory and blamed it on their crackdown on human trafficking gangs.

Then came the number two arrest of Yusuf Mirabilis close to the Cambodian border or at the airport in Phnom Penh, seems to be some discussion here, though it is said in his pack was the yellow t shirt shown to be thought to be worn by the bomber. He was thought to be the bomb builder and passed the completed product to Karadk at the Hue Lumphong railroad station.

Both were turned over to the junta’s military for interrogation – in a rather shocking turn of events they both confessed to playing major roles in the bombing, they will be tried in a military court so will be unable to use their civilian rights. However, it is thought there were up to 17 other people  involved, so time will tell how this shakes out.

This event happened at an inopportune time for police Chief Somyat Poompunmuary who was set to retire.   At a press conference after the arrest of Karadk he displayed a block of money valued at $ 83,000 (US) as a reward for help in the closure of the case.  This week as he announced his retirement and the closing of the case and the $ 83,000 reward would be spread out among the officers working the case.  Good work if you can get it.

While the whole bombing, other than the deaths, destruction and maimed victims seem a bit murky.  Once the police get the suspects from the military things will start to fall in order, you think.  That's the word....

thanks for stopping by    Doug

                                                  

                                                                   

                                                           

Man from Turkey arrested in the in Bangkok bombing

Home » Breakingnews » Urgent: Suspect arrested in Bangkok with bomb making equipment

Urgent: Suspect arrested in Bangkok with bomb making equipment

The Nation August 29, 2015 3:48 pm

Police arrested a Turkish man at a rented room in Bangkok's Nong Chok district Saturday afternoon and found a lot of bomb making tools and materials.

The arrest was made after about 100 police and troops surrounded the apartment at at 1:30 pm.

Among the matterials, police found 0.5mm-diameter ball bearings that were the same type with the bombs that exploded at the Erawan Shrine and the Sathorn pier on August 17 and 18.

10252 Viewed

http://www.nationmultimedia.comhttp://www.nationmultimedia.com

  Note:   Ever since I tossed this piece up from one of Bangkok's leading newspapers it      has bothered me.

What I've been thinking is that this piece from the NATION might have more flash than anything else. As time passes the pressure is on the police to come up with an arrest or at least a suspect is in creasing.  As is the pressure on the media to come up with something. Then a Turkish guy with ball bearings in his apartment is found and, ah ha....

Of course my hope is that this isn't just a set up but really part of an ongoing criminal investigation.

Terror in Bangkok

AP

by BREITBART LONDON17 Aug 201522

At the time of writing, no one has claimed responsibility for the bombing that occurred in Thailand earlier today. But it doesn’t take a genius to figure out who might be responsible. Of six major terrorist attacks in the past 10 years, five of them have been overtly attributed to the Islamic nationalist separatist umbrella group known as the South Thailand Insurgency (STI). 

Pattani province, in the South of Thailand (Red Dot)

Some may argue that the attribution comes from the government of Thailand, itself hardly a beacon of transparency and democracy in the region, and therefore a source not to be trusted. But independent sources have also verified that STI and its component groups have been responsible for at least 5,500 deaths between 2004 and 2014, in its bid to terrorise the Thai government into granting independent status to the region of Pattani in the south of the country.

The groups, which vary in name, all carry similar separatist sentiments, with most of the Islamic in background, and keen to see an independent nation established under Islamic law in Pattani. Reports suggest that 80 per cent of the population of Pattani province are Malay Muslims, which may go some way to explaining how the group is easily funded, and displays its large recruitment pool. The area has around 700,000 inhabitants.

STI is credited with the past few terrorist attacks, including 2005’s Hat Yai bombings which killed two and injured 66, the 2006 equivalent, in the same region, which killed four and injured 82, and the 2007 attacks in Pattani itself, killing seven and injuring 33.

And the group’s activity hasn’t stopped there. It is believed to be behind multiple, repeated stabbings, machete attacks, and shootings. This includes a 2006 attach which killed three and injured 38, a 2012 attack that injured 5 in Bangkok, and the 2012 bombing in Yala which killed 16 and hurt 321.

The groups in question include the following:

Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN): A Pattani separatist group that has come to use the “black flag of Islam” in recent years. The group prefers the Salafist interpretation of Islam, and is said to have split into several factions, including distinctly Islamist splinter groups which wish to create paramilitary groups. Many of the Islamist element’s leaders are reported to have been trained in Afghanistan.

Runda Kumpulan Kecil (RKK): This group is recognised as a militant Islamic group with up to 3,000 members. There is believed to be a large overlap between it and the BRN’s Islamic faction.

Gerakan Mujahidin Islam Patani (GMIP): The group started as a criminal racket, “gun running” for Islamic terror groups, but soon took on an identity of its own. It is believed to be linked to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) – a Phillipines-based separatist movement backed by the Malaysian government. The Jamestown Foundation think tank reports: “Following the 9/11 attacks on the United States, the GMIP distributed leaflets in Yala calling for a jihad and support for Osama bin Laden.”

Pattani United Liberation Organisation (PULO): One of the most prevalent groups in the country, PULO counts itself as more secular than the other groups, despite its foundation by an Islamic theologian, and the end goal of establishing a Salafi, Islamic state in Pattani.

Barisan Islam Pembebasan Patani (BIPP): An Islamic separatist movement, believed to be the oldest of its kind. The group has only recently begun to stress its Islamic allegiance.

Jemaah Islamiyah (JI): The continent-wide umbrella group, a regional affiliate of Al Qaeda and in some instances, Islamic State. The group was proscribed by the United Nations after the Bali bombings, and has been identified as responsible for over 20 terrorist attacks in the region since the year 2000.

Insurgency movements were believed to have been broadly defeated as of the year 2000, but they have come back in a big way over the past 15 years.

This is not to say that the Thailand attack today was definitely perpetrated by one of the above groups, but the likelihood is certainly high.

Western media sources have said that no one has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks, and therefore it is not reportable who might be involved yet. But traditionally we haven’t seen large-scale acknowledgement and/or claims of responsibility in the region. When responsibility isn’t claimed, the Thailand government usually attributed the attacks to STI.

7 reasons why Ari is Bangkok's hottest neighborhood right now

Bangkok, as most major, world class cities is comprised of many diverse districts (neighborhoods). While up to a few years ago Ari,  was mostly a Thai residential area know for it's low key street food restaurants located down it's spider web of soi's . Though as Dylan sang "the times they are a changin" Ari is a new up and comer for expats looking for a low key place to call home.  While a little off the beaten track of Bangkok's beer bars and pole dancers of Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza in the Sukumvit area of down town. However, with it's own BTS station and easy highway access it's easy to get to.

Interested in getting an up close and personal look, check out the link below.

  7 reasons why Ari is Bangkok's hottest neighborhood right now






Get Hotwire Hot Rates in Chicago this Labor Day Weekend!

bus from Bangkok to Pattaya - my seat mate, oh my seat mate

Bus to Pattaya 

The bus to Pattaya and gateui (lady boy)

tayaan

Its 6:00 in the morning as I sat in Bangkok’s Northern (Mo Chit) bus station awaiting the 7:15 bus to Pattaya. I am not a morning kind of guy so six o’clock in the morning feels like the middle of the night and the coffee I’m sipping just doesn’t have enough punch to get me through the lingering cobwebs of a night of doing the bars of soi Cowboy.

Then for a moment my foggy mind clears enough to capture a vision of Thai loveliness walking through the half light of the bus terminal, dressed to the nines, short skirt showing shapely legs, with blond streaked, ink black hair cascaded down her back. From my seat in the terminal I only got a brief look before the vision passed from my sight and passed on to the stations coffee shop. Not much going on, so with just time to kill I toss my backpack over my shoulder, headed over to the coffee shop for a second cup of coffee and try to get a clearer look at what I had just watched walk past and was rewarded with a coffee and best yet a nod and a smile from my latest love.

As I tried to shush Mr. Ego’s shouting, they all want you Doug, Mr. Reality chims in, evening clothes this early in the morning, something is little strange here. Then on closer observation, yikes - did I see a faint shadow of a beard? As I craned to get a better look, my vision spoke a greeting to me in Thai spoken with a feminine, lilted male voice, embarrassed, I nodded, trying to hide my surprise and disappointment as I scurried out of the coffee shop and back to my seat. Where I then attempted to disappear into the book I held in front of me as my mind milled over the morning’s craziness and damn it’s still only a quarter after six. Anyway, I’m thinking that I’ll be on the bus soon, leaving all this behind.

Oh ya, here we go, board the bus, grab the first row seat across from the driver, allowing me an unobstructed view out the window and I’m so happy with my good luck I forgot about everything else. Making myself busy getting my cameras ready and took little notice as my seat mate slid in next to me. As I’m puttering away with my camera, out of the corner of my eye I notice the disapproving looks of some of the older Thai women boarding the bus. I then glance over at my seat mate who is now leaning on my shoulder, ca damn it’s the gateui (lady boy) from the bus station. From the look on her/his face I could tell she was enjoying the attention and my discomfort and as I moved closer to the window so did she, a smile for everyone boarding, as to say, this is my guy.

The two hour ride to Pattaya seemed to drag on for ever and once the bus pulled to a stop at Pattaya, I couldn’t get away fast enough, that is after I got around my seat mate. Just a thought to keep in mind while traveling in Thailand – it’s possible that your new, best Thai girl might also be your new, best bro.

What's up Thailand - update august 2014

                                                     

What happened to the rule of law in Thailand? You could say it’s like the old Vietnam War era GI saying - same, same but different, except in this case it’s same, same but tougher.  Though, mostly effecting Thai's with the enforcement of martial law laid down by the military junta and then Thai's subsequent loss of their freedoms. 

So okay, I’m a tourist how does all this political unrest, coup, marshal law and whole lot affect me?  Well the curfew might have been a problem but it was only in a effect for a few weeks and is history now.  However, you might see a  greater amount of military activity but from a tourists point of view it can be looked at as an enhancement to locale color,  Though, be sure to remember and ask permission before including a solder in your selfie.    One last word to the unaware, keep track off what's going on around you, stay away from any large gatherings of civilians or military and stay on the beaten track.

Since the coup - nor a disparaging word, not even a small one is tolerated.  The new government has O tolerance for desenters speaking out against martial law or any of the junta’s policies. Also, as usual, negative opinions regarding the King or the royal family are also off limits.

Thai's love their 86 year old, King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Though if anyone was ever tempted to step over to the dark side and go against the king or the royal's, Thailand's lese majeste law deals with these transgressions.  Here are the basic lese majeste law guidelines - Thai or foreigners living in Thailand who question the kings decisions, insult him, ridicules or make fun of the king or of the royal's are pretty much assured of a jail term of up to 15 years.  Keep in mind your guilty until proven other wise.

Meanwhile, public decent against the junta can get you into a whole heap of trouble as dissident, Sombat Boonngram found out. He openly protested against the coup as it was happening which got him arrested and detained for 25 days. Now released but facing charges in a military court for instigating public unrest and a second charge of violating the computer crime act for his anti government writings.  Then in a second court he is charged with acts violating the lese majeste law.  He is a civilian with no violent agenda and is being tried in a military court. Who is now due all this is unemployed, lost his position with his TV work along with losing his board member status with an NGO.

What Thai's are reading and electronic games they are playing are being monitored - George Orwell's book 1984 is banned, along with the video game Tropico 5, along with the three finger salute from the movie Hunger Games just to name a few documented transgressions. 

86 year old King Blinghumibol Adulyadej's has endorsed the junta's provisional charter a precursor for the new Thai constitution.  As the previous constitution drawn up after the coup of 2006 which removed Thaksin as the PM of Thailand, was torn up as General Prayuth's new political party the National Council for Peace and Order took control of Thailand.  As a result the duly elected pre-coup NLA (National Legislation Assembly) was removed from office and has since been replaced by representatives picked by General Prayuth's party.   

Sabi, sabi a couple Chang beers and all this political stuff will just fade away.

Thanks, for stopping by -  Doug

Review - Cathay Pacific, have their policy's and are sticking to it

                                      


I'm a long time Cathay customer and will continue to be but that doesn't mean I like the way they treat customers. The airline is changing and this is  about that and due to that the bad experience I experienced with Cathay's customer service manager.

However, other than my specific my present specific complaint I've noticed a general decline in  customer service over the past few years.  This might be caused by the corporations demands for improved  profitability.  To this end it seems as though their is a decrease in support staff which might explain the sometimes curt actions by their staff. Though, in fact my flying experience is that the friendly sky's are a thing of the past not only with Cathay and most airlines.

The deteriorating service is something I passed off until a year ago when the hip I damaged while visiting Sai Gon had me in needing a little special attention on my flights back to the states. Oh ya, they gave me priority boarding and arranged for a wheelchair to get through Hong Kong airport but it was a mechanical thing with no compassion. I grumbled quietly to myself about poor me but didn't say anything. Maybe if I had spoken up all would have been different. I was thinking old school air travel when you were treated special even if you weren't a sad half crippled person such as myself but it takes more than a subtle expression to get what you want.    

Last month on my latest return from Saigon  it all came to a head, not on the plane but at their ticketing office in Sa Gon, over the phone and ended with e-mail  with  Racheal Barretto, "Customer Relations Executive".  This was all over my attempt to change my return city from Bangkok to Sai Gon.   I had done this many times in the past, though it required a penalty charge, which I was OK with but this time it seemed the only way was to toss my return ticket and buy a new one but nodody acually suggested that. From my start in person at Cathay's ticket office in Sai Gon to ending in terse e-mails  from the Customer Relations Executive.  Guess all this would have been easier to stomach if I would have been given a solid reason or some options. For this ticket I had used my miles to upgrade to economy deluxe but what difference should that make.  Anyway, It was the same flight from the Hong Kong to SFO but just a different departing city from the original ticket.

The reason I wanted to change was that I was having trouble getting around on my recently rebuilt leg but all I got was changing a ticket was against  Cathay policy and not in so many words, now please go away.

Just wanted to share this as I still believe Cathay is good to fly with but wanted to get the warning out that you need to make sure you're up on their policy's before hopping aboard.  Kinda like the motorbike or tuk-tuk guy where you need to discuss everything and agree before you pillion. 

Thailand's Top Court Ousts Prime Minister Yingluck -

Thailand's Top Court Ousts PM

voice of Anerica

• 
• 
  

May 07, 2014 6:07 PM

Thailand's caretaker Cabinet has appointed an acting prime minister, after the Constitutional Court ordered Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and several Cabinet members to step down.

The Cabinet appointed Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongphaisan to take over.

The Bangkok court unanimously ruled Wednesday that Prime Minister Yingluck improperly transferred her national security chief to another job in 2011. It said the move was unconstitutional and done for her own benefit.

Prime ministers are usually chosen by the country's lower house of parliament. But Ms. Yingluck dissolved that body last year when she called for early elections to try to resolve the country's political crisis.

Ms. Yingluck insists she did nothing wrong. Her supporters say the charges are politically motivated. They plan to protest her forced resignation.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki is urging all sides to resolve their political differences peacefully, saying violence is unacceptable.

She said any resolution on Thailand should include an election for a new government.

Anti-government street protests in Thailand have killed about 25 people since the start of the year.

After failing to force Ms. Yingluck to resign, the opposition turned to the courts. Opposition leaders say Ms. Yingluck's government is hopelessly corrupt and controlled by her brother, ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Mr. Thaksin was removed from office in a 2006 military coup. The billionaire businessman is still very influential in Thailand. He lives in exile to escape corruption charges.

Thailand's political turmoil pits Bangkok's urban middle class and royalist elite against the mostly poor, rural supporters of Ms. Yingluck and Mr. Thaksin.

lodging - cheap but good and not so cheap but still reasonable priced places to stay in Bangkok

                                 

Our hero, Doug - Viva Garden

                                       

sukhumvit road with BTS overhead

on my way back to the states this last time I needed lodging for a few nights in Bangkok.The last two places I used wouldn't work this time so I went hotel shopping on Bookings.com .

One place I really enjoyed  in the past was Citichick- neat location off of Sukhumvit at the end of soi 11 where it connects into soi 13.   Loads of interesting restaurants and at night plenty of spots to keep you entertained, such as the Hillary Bar and the two open air jazz restaurants

Cheap Charlies soi 11

up towards Sukhumvit.

Citichic is a small but classy hotel with understated elegance, restaurant with great breakfasts though  maybe a bit over priced, small but nice outdoor pool, nice compact gym, elevator and a friendly staff with good English skills.  Rooms are good sized, clean, modern and comfortable.

Though on this trip I had to rule them out as my funds were running low and there prices had increased and their elevator was having a bad time and stairs are still not my strong suit as I continue to recover from my leg repair.

http://www.booking.com/hotel/th/citichic-boutique-suites.html?aid=383305;lang=en 

Note to my readers: Sukhumvit is the main drag running through Bangkok's center and is referred to in three different areas - lower Sukhumvit soi 1-24 which is a mix of  Middle Easterners, western men in search of girly bars,

soi cowboy

its this area you find Soi Nana and soi Cowboy, large western style shopping malls and streets lined with souvenir vendors - while middle Sukhumvit, soi 26-60 is home to many many expats and  reminds me of suburbia in the USA but with condos.  Then soi 61 and above has been mostly Thai but now the BTS extends out this way, more and more visitors are seeking out the area as the prices are lower and it's still a Thaim neighborhood and with the BTS Skyway extension is still only a 25 minute skytrain ride into the action of city center.  If your Thai is a little rusty, a soi is like a side street or alley.

my studio - sky train and station in the background

Beer Garden waitress

Viva Garden  Serviced Residence  Great spot, like coming home to your own serviced apartment, giant outdoor swimming pool, good sized gym along with wonderful and friendly service.   They have a restaurant but I didn't use it as when I was there I cooked some of my meals as the units come with a supply of pots and pans and a stove to use them on, frig and microwave for your cooking pleasure. The rest of my meals I bought out either at  the open air food market on the other side of Sukhumvit or at one of the take away shops at On Nut BTS station.  Viva Garden is adjacent to the Prakanhong BTS station, and the next BTS stop after On Nut.  At On Nut on one side of Sukhumvit is another open market plus at night it contains an open air beer garden with live Thi bands, on the other side of Sukumvit from this is a mall, containing on the ground floor a McDonalds and a mix of other US chain food spots.  On the upper level is a Tesco Lotus Super Center with a western style grocery and a large discount department store along with a food court outside it's front door.   The food court is comprised of a diverse mix of Thai style street food shops, good, healthy, cheap along with being a fun outing to try out living like a locale.


http://www.booking.com/hotel/th/viva-garden-sukhumvit.html?aid=383305;lang=en

Okay,  now for my latest cheap but good lodging pick in Bangkok,

even though it's kind of a dumb name, At Mind Executive suites is a pretty good deal It's in the upper Sukhumvit area so in the same area as Viva Garden along with also being an apartment style place but at half the price.  My reservation was for the

cheaper room, no stove but frig and microwave and a sink on the balcony where you can clean up your cooking messes.  The room was a little dark so I asked for another and was upgraded to a bright and larger unit with a kitchenette, dining table  and all the

night view from my room

cooking and eating gear. Though the first room was nicer and in better condition but both were very nice.  At Mind has a small pool on the roof along with a gym, restaurant with a  good breakfast selection and is located down a peaceful soi in this mostly Thai neighborhood of upper Sukhumvit.

 http://www.booking.com/hotel/th/at-mind-executive-suites.html?aid=383305;lang=en


More choices and pricing for your Bankok  stay - Bookings.com 

BTS Skytrains - Bangkok, Thailand

Bang Chak station over Sukhumvit

Blue designates subway
Green is the BTS sky train
Red is the BTS direct route to Suvarnabhumi International Airport

BTS Skyway station attendant 



http://www.booking.com/city/th/bangkok.html?aid=383305

                  BTS overlooking Sukhumvit

BTS train pulling into  the station

Need lodging try these guys,think you will like the results.

http://www.booking.com/district/th/bangkok/sukhumvit.html?aid=383305