In September, the new Yellow Line monorail train will be tested between Lat Phrao and Samrong, and the Pink Line monorail train will be tested between Min Buri and Khae Rai. The Yellow Line is 92 percent complete, while the Pink Line is a step behind at 86 percent. Thailand’s Mass Rapid Transit Authority controls monorail/skytrain services (MRTA).
Routes and coverage around Bangkok continue to reach far-flung parts of the city.
The MRT Yellow Line will provide Skytrain monorail service along the heavily congested Lat Phrao Road and Srinagarindra road corridors. —-The line will connect 6 other public transit rail lines, making it an important link between the cities in the mid-northeast and east of Bangkok.
• the MRI Blue Line
• Interchange with the MRT Orange Line (under construction)
• the planned MRI Gray Line
• Brown MRI lines
• the Airport Rail Link (Bangkok)
• and the BTS Sukhumvit line
The leader of Thailand’s Democratic Party has issued a public apology and claimed responsibility for the sex scandal of Prinn Panitchpakdi, who resigned as deputy party leader last week amid a mounting wave of sexual abuse and rape allegations against him.
At a press conference Monday at the party headquarters in Bangkok, Trade Minister Jurin Laksanawisit apologized on behalf of the party and said he “deeply regrets” the alleged actions of his former colleague Prinn.
“As party leader, I played an important role in recruiting Mr. Prinn. Since the problem arose when I was party leader, I cannot escape responsibility.”
In addition, Jurin reiterated the party line of not defending the disgraced former vice chairman or obstructing the judicial system.
He also stressed the party’s opposition to sexual harassment, as well as gender discrimination and violence against women and children.
To show he was taking the matter seriously and taking responsibility, Jurin said he had resigned from government committees on women’s policy and gender equality to chastise himself.
According to the Bangkok Post, the party has formed a committee to investigate the allegations against Prinn and look at ways to help confirmed victims.
Prinn is the son of former Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi. His father was also a former Secretary General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development and a former Director General of the World Trade Organization.***
A Bangkok expat who went missing 9 days ago has been found in a psychiatric ward in the capital.
Alexandre Freitas, a 27-year-old Portuguese national, was found at the Somdet Chao Phraya hospital in the Khlong San district after being accused of stealing a pair of sunglasses from a mall in the city.
The man’s friend, Stuart Holden, says Freitas had no intention of stealing the sunglasses but took them because he was mentally ill.
“He went to the Emporium and tried to take a pair of sunglasses worth 30,000 baht because of his ill condition. However, when he reached the holding cell, he went insane, stripped and was taken to a psychiatric ward for evaluation.”
It appears Holden was unaware his friend had been transferred to a psychiatric ward and he took to social media to offer a 30,000-baht reward for information on his friend’s whereabouts. He was then contacted by a Facebook user, Khlongfang Klangthung, who helped him find Freitas.
Khlongfang says she saw Holden’s request on social media and spoke to police at the mall. Police informed her that Freitas had been taken to Thonglor Police Station after he was accused of stealing the sunglasses. She says it seems his mental state prompted him to steal the glasses from the store. According to Holden, Freitas is prone to auditory and visual hallucinations.
Khlongfang says she has been in touch with the Portuguese’s family and that his father will arrive in Bangkok on Sunday to pick up his son. It is understood that Freitas lived and worked in Bangkok and first suffered from mental health problems 2 years ago.
Meanwhile, Holden has expressed disappointment with the authorities for not notifying him or the Portuguese embassy while they held Freitas for several days.
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The Ministry of Transport has opened an investigation into the partial collapse of a new passenger building at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport, home to most international low-cost carriers and some domestic low-cost carriers.
According to initial damage estimates, a severe storm on Sunday evening resulted in a backlog of rain that the building’s gutters could not support, leading to a partial collapse of the roof and walls. However, the core structure was not severely damaged.
The airport building was completed in June 2020 at a cost of over 207 million baht. It was designed to accommodate a large number of passengers to reduce congestion in the international terminal. However, due to the pandemic, it remained closed at the time of Monday’s collapse.
Thailand’s Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob says an investigative panel will be set up, headed by Assistant Secretary of State for Transport Pisak. The panel reviews construction contracts and conducts damage assessments following the incident. It is also expected to establish guidelines for repair work carried out by airports of Thailand.
According to Saksayam, “If the repair work lasts longer than the duration of the construction contract, AoT must sign another agreement with the contractor to carry out the work.
Meanwhile, AoT President Nitinai estimates that the inspection could take anywhere from 15 to 30 days.
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Yesterday, officers from Pathum Wan Police Station arrested a man who used a box cutter to stabbed two women at CentralWorld, a famous shopping mall in Bangkok.
The suspect claimed he visited the mall to find a job and had no explanation for his actions.
Around 4pm, employees at the famous Bangkok shopping mall reported to the police that two victims were attacked in front of a 2nd floor clothing store called Misty Mynx.
The first victim was a 27-year-old shop assistant, the second a 23-year-old customer visiting the mall with her family.
After questioning witnesses, investigator Aangoon Jarasmethawit reported that the man entered the mall, screamed and stabbed a female employee in the face. After that, he went to another woman who was walking nearby and stabbed her in the neck.
The 23-year-old suspect, reported as “Thanaporn Boonsi,” tried to hide at the mall but was eventually caught just five minutes after the incident. Police say he has been charged with drug use but has not tested positive for drugs in this case.
According to the police report, the suspect lost his job and recently became homeless. He was convicted of revealing guns to the public and assaulting people.
CentralWorld mall explained the incident on its official Facebook page and insisted that the knifeman was quickly arrested after the attack – and the victims were also taken to the nearest hospital very quickly. There are no current reports on the condition of the two women or their injuries.
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