Wildlife: Three six-month-old hornbills were rescued after they were found in three discarded boxes on a road in Narathiwat's Bacho district yesterday.
The discovery, along Highway 42 (Narathiwat-Pattani Road), came after Bacho police were alerted to the boxes by passersby who were afraid they could contain bombs.
Upon arrival, authorities examined the boxes and found the rare birds weighing about one kilogramme inside. The birds are now in the care of the Khok Mai Rua Wildlife Breeding Station in Tak Bai district, where they will be looked after before being released into the wild.
Police suspect wildlife smugglers left the birds for customers to pick up.
According to officials, a baby hornbill fetches about 10,000 baht in Bangkok. In China the price is much more.
Pakistani 'loan shark' arrested
SAMUT PRAKAN: A Pakistani national suspected of being a member of a transnational loan shark syndicate, was detained by security officials in Muang district on Monday night while collecting payments from customers.
The suspect, Shiv Prasad Tiwari, 21, is believed to be a member of a gang known as "Bang Surrender".
During questioning by Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) officials, the suspect received a call from an unnamed Thai state official. The caller threatened the Isoc team, saying "the boss" would clear up any problems. The officer recorded the conversation and stored it as evidence.
The arrest came after one victim, Manirat Saengdaeng, 42, filed a complaint. Ms Manirat said she had borrowed 5,000 baht from the gang which charged her 2% interest on every 100 baht every day for over a month. She decided to inform Isoc after having paid 5,000 baht in interest.
Body of US tourist found at dam
SURAT THANI: The body of a missing American tourist was found at Ratchaprapa dam on Monday, three days after he disappeared while swimming in the reservoir.
The body of Jordan William Scott, 30, was found near Ploenprai floating raft resort, said Viroj Rojjanajinda, head of Khao Sok National Park.
The American went missing while swimming with five friends in the dam reservoir in Ban Ta Khun district last Friday. After jumping into the water for a second time, his friends said, he did not resurface.
Divers began the search on Friday but did not locate his body until Monday night. The body was sent to Ban Ta Khun hospital for a post-mortem examination before being collected by relatives for funeral rites.
Park officials will with operators of floating raft bungalows and resorts today to remind them to take all precautions to ensure their guests' safety.
School noodlegate probe set to start
Graft: A disciplinary probe has been ordered against a former school director in Surat Thani's Tha Chana district over alleged irregularities in five activities including the school lunches, a source said.
Somchao Sitthichen, who was transferred to work at the Surat Thani Primary Education Service Area 2 office, has also been suspended from the civil service, according to the source. He was transferred after a video clip went viral on May 31 showing young students eating noodles mixed with fish sauce for lunch. Besides the meagre school lunches, he also faces an investigation into alleged irregularities with four other schemes including an electrical maintenance project.
Drive on for more organ donors
Health: The Department of Provincial Administration is encouraging the public to register as organ donors via their ID cards.
Department director-general Arthit Boonyasophat said people aged over 20 who want to donate their organs can register with the department when they submit a request for a new ID card.
Those who already have ID cards can present them to authorities at district offices, as well as other local administrative agencies, and register as an organ donor. The Thai Red Cross Society's Organ Donation Centre will then issue organ donor cards.
