Northern Thailand

Chiang Mai Zip Line Employees to Be Charges with Negligence in Tourists Death

Police inspect equipment at Flying Squirrels zipline adventure in Chiang Mai province

CHIANG MAI – Police Maj. Gen. Pacha Rattanapat, deputy commander of police in northern Thailand, said yesterday that police will press charges of negligence resulting in the death of others against two Flying Squirrels Zip-line employees, according to Khoasod News.

The Sunday incident came about three months after a 44-year-old Chinese tourist fell to her death from a zip-line operated by another company in Chiang Mai.

Two employees from the Flying Squirrels zipline attraction in Chiang Mai reported to police today to face charges.

31-year-old Taweesin Pongpanasawat and 23-year-old Athiwat Orkha from the Flying Squirrels zipline attraction in Chiang Mai reported to police today to face charges.

Amphika Masanong, assistant manager of Flying Squirrels, said the incident took place after 32-year-old Wang Qi and another person on the tour were placed together for a zipline ride, which is usually reserved for one person at a time.

Staff decided to put the pair together, Amphika said, because another tourist could not make it to the end of the line, and the staff determined the deceased didn’t weigh enough to reach the platform on her own.

Just as she was coming to the platform, the tourist started to panic and flapped her arms about, Amphika said, preventing staff from catching her in time. She came to a halt at the end of the line, Amphika said, speculating the sudden stop must have snapped her neck.

She said the company only learned yesterday from the autopsy report that 32-year-old Wang Qi died of a broken neck, saying they had no intention of distorting information.

“There was no visible wound on her body at the time, and she looked pale. We thought she was in shock, or she was about to feint, so we applied first aid and called the ambulance,” Amphika said.

Amphika said their zipline equipment has a high safety standard and that the death was actually due to the carelessness of two employees, 31-year-old Taweesin Pongpanasawat and 23-year-old Athiwat Orkha.

The two employees let Wang ride the zipline while another person was on the same zipline, causing them to collide and Wang falling.

The two employees, Taweesin and Athiwat, have been accused of being careless, causing death to other people.

Police Major General Montree Sambunnanon, commander of Chiang Mai Provincial Police, told City News in Chiang Mai the owners of 14 companies providing zip-line adventures in four districts of Chiang Mai will be summoned to be join a safety briefing to prevent the same incidents happening again.

According to City News Montree Piyakul of Chiang Mai Provincial Office of Tourism and Sports, there are no current zipline safety standards laws despite the number of zipline adventures in the country. However, Zipline companies will now have to adjust their safety standards by April 24, 2016, when new safety regulations come into effect.

Another fatal accident at Skyline Adventure zip-line company took place June 29 in Chiang Mai. The indecent as initially withheld from the media because it coincided with the arrival of junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha, who was touring Chiang Mai province at the time. Local authorities did not want “negative news” to emerge during his trip.

In July, a Chinese woman and American woman were seriously injured in a head-on zip-line collision at a popular zip-line attraction in Chiang Mai’s Mae Kam Pong district.

Flying Squirrels will be shut down for three days starting Wednesday, Adul said, while Skyline Adventure has returned to business after a brief suspension.

By Teeranai Charuvastra

Northern Thailand

Tubers on Pai River Draw Anger Over Inappropriate Behavior

The Governor of Mae Hong Son province in northern Thailand has sought stricter rules for tourist tubing on the Pai River, following allegations of tourists sneaking into resort areas to engage in sexual activities, which prompted police reports and considerable criticism online.

After a resort owner in Pai protested about the existing situation of tubing activities along the Pai River, the Governor became aware of the matter. According to the accusations, wine and beer are discreetly offered to tourists while disguised in plastic water bottles to prevent detection.

After their tubing adventures, these tourists, both men and women, would walk around Pai town in their swimsuits. Men often wear one pair of swim briefs, but most women wear two-piece swimsuits or bikinis.

This behavior was considered derogatory to local culture. Recently, there were instances of tourists slipping into resort areas to engage in sexual activities, which prompted police investigations and considerable online criticism.

Following the complaint, provincial governor Chuchip Pongchai requested a meeting of the police and allied authorities on July 16 to explore further tourism restrictions.

The province already restricts the selling of alcohol to tourists who go tubing, which involves floating down a river on inner tubes made of rubber tires. Most people observe the guidelines, but others, including some store owners, break them by concealing the alcohol by pouring it in water bottles.

According to TNA, Pai is one of Northern Thailand’s most popular tourist spots, attracting 40,000 visitors each year and strengthening Thailand’s economy.

Tubing in the Pai River has become a favorite activity among foreigners. However, the governor stated that the attitude of some tourists has jeopardised the province’s image.

Tourists Tubing on Pai River

Girl 16 Arrested in Thailand for Defaming Royalty on Facebook

Girl 16 Arrested in Thailand for Defaming Royalty on Facebook

Northern Thailand

Pregnant Woman Goes Psycho Stabs Family Members in Phayao

Police in northern Thailand’s Phayao province have arrested a 40-year-old pregnant mother for attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to create bodily harm.

Phayao Police report they were called after a woman and her daughter had been stabbed and beaten by a family member to a house number 206, Soi 7, Village No. 3, Ban San Nong Niao Subdistrict. Tom, Mueang District.

When officers arrived they found Ms. Chayada Chaiyawan, age 45, and her daughter Ms. Patida Chaiyawan, age 19, with injuries to their bodies and heads. Blood was spread all over the bedroom, and they found Mrs. Sakulkarn, aged 40 years, who was a relative living next door, tied up.

The police then transported all of them to Phayao Hospital for treatment. Ms. Chayada was stabbed thirteen times and her daughter twice. Both also sustained head injuries, according to Phayao police.

Ms. Chayada was stabbed thirteen times and her daughter twice

Ms. Chayada told police the incident occurred around 4:00 a.m. She was sleeping in the room with her young son, when she heard someone opened the bedroom door. She said at that time it was still dark and all she saw a shadow of a person lifting what she though was a hammer.

She said the got up and fought until she fell after being hit in the head and stabbed with a knife, in fear for her life she screamed for her daughter to come and help. When the daughter entered the room the assailant proceeded to hit her in the head and stabbed her also.

The assailant ran out of the room and was immediately restrained by a neighbour who heard the screaming and ran into the house to help. Mrs. Sakulkarn who was 7 months pregnant was tied up and police and rescue workers were called to the scene. The neighbour told police that all the time they were waiting for the police.

Police said Mrs. Sakulkarn is being held in Hospital and is under psychiatric care. Ms. Chayada and her daughter were treated for their injuries and sent home.

According to Thai Media, Police said charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to create bodily harm will be filed against Mrs. Sakulkarn after she is released from Hospital.

Phayao Gets City-Class Air Purification Tower for Air Pollution

Phayao Gets City-Class Air Purification Tower for Air Pollution

Northern Thailand

Train Crashes into Pickup Killing 5 in Phitchit Province

Five people were killed and two others badly injured when a pickup truck was hit by a north-bound train at an unguarded railway crossing in Phitchit province on Monday evening.

Phitchit police reported the horrific crash occurred around 6 pm at Moo 1 village in tambon Pak Thang of Muang district of Phitchit.

Police said the 201 passenger train from Bangkok to Phitsanulok approached the crossing, which was unguarded and had no safety barriers.

A four-door pickup truck plates drove across the tracks and into the path of oncoming the train which was was unable to stop or slowdown in time to avoid hitting the pickup truck.

The force of the crash drove the pickup about 30 metres down the railway crossing and off to the side. All passengers on the pickup were thrown from the vehicle.

Three women passengers died immediately and two more passengers died later at Phichit Hospital. Two others including the driver of the pickup were seriously injured.

Police investigators said truck driver Pratya Khongthat, 40, was taking relatives, including a 14-yea-old girl, to a funeral at Wat Ratchangkhwan in tambon Pak Thang, approximately one kilometer from the accident scene.