HaPPi like a HiPPo: April 2009

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Joo Ji Hoon arrested on drug charges

Popular South Korean model and actor Ju Ji Hoon, 26, has been arrested on drug charges! Joo, best known for portraying Crown Prince Lee Shin in the Korean drama Princess Hours (Goong), and movie "The Naked Kitchen", is charged with two counts of taking drugs in March 2008 at drug parties with fellow entertainers.

Arrest warrants for actress Yoon Sul Hui, 28, and model Yeh Hak Young, 26, have also been issued. The two are accused of smuggling drugs from Japan since August 2007.

They were reportedly paid 100 million won to smuggle recreational drugs such as ecstasy and ketamine from Japan on three occasions. The drugs were hidden in their underwear, brought into the country and sold in clubs or taken by the traffickers. Joo has admitted to receiving drugs from the pair.

"It is the first case that has been discovered in which entertainers smuggled in drugs from a foreign country for their own use," a police officer was quoted as saying.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Thai Boxing legend Saensak Muangsurin Dies

Boxing legend Saensak Muangsurin (Thai: แสนศักดิ์ เมืองสุรินทร์) passed away this morning at the age of 58 after suffering from blood infection.

The former WBC (World Boxing Council) light welterweight died during an operation at the Rajvithi General Hospital after having admitted since April 12 for intestine infection.

Profile of Sangsuk:
Full Name: Saensak Muangsurin
Nickname: Boonsong Mansri
Boxing Division: Light welterweight
Height: 5 ft. 7 in. (170 cm)
Birth date: 13 August 1950
Birth place: Phetchabun Province, Thailand

Sangsuk, widely called "I Saeb" (Thai: ไอ้แสบ) among fans, held the world record for taking the shortest time to claim a world title after just three professional bouts. Throughout his 20 career fights, he won 14 including 11 knockouts and lost 6 times.

Source: The Nation

Watch the You Tube video of Tommy Hearns and Saensak Muangsurin fight on Oct. 1979

Susan Boyle, the next Paul Potts?

Susan Boyle has become the latest You Tube sensation after her singing act on the third series if Britain's Got Talent 2009. She surprised the judges with a strong performance of "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables in the competition's first round, aired on 11 April 2009, getting the live audience on its feet within 20 seconds and eliciting the "biggest yes in three seasons" from Piers Morgan and "yes" votes from both Simon Cowell and Amanda Holden.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

47 year old Susan is a church volunteer and lives alone in Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland with her cat Pebbles, and has never been kissed! She has been catapulted to international fame after her performance on Britain's got Talent.

Mobile phone sales man Paul Potts brought people to tears with his amazing talent as did six year old Connie Talbot with her perfect voice!

Is Susan Boyle going to be the next Paul Potts?

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Thai Red Shirts Protest Videos April 2009

Monday, April 13, 2009

Songkran Google Doodle

Here's Google's Songkran Doodle found on Google Thailand home page today. YOU can see a litle girl in Thai traditional costume pours a bucket full of water onto the word Google

A not very happy Songkran this time.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

State of Emergency Declared in Bangkok, Tanks are out

The government has announced the state of emergency for Bangkok and some districts in provinces today afternoon.

Several police and protesters were also injured during a riot inside the Interior Ministry today when red-shirted protesters tried to attack a motorcade leaving the compound on suspicion that the prime minister was inside one of the cars.

Several tanks are reported to be seen near important areas

Source: Manager

Thursday, April 09, 2009

Bangkok traffic paralyzed as Red Shirts occupy Victory Monument

Bangkok traffic has been paralyzed after some taxi drivers used their cars to block two roads at the Victory Monument at noon today to pressure the government to resign.

They started blocking the inbound Rajvithi Road in front of the Center One shopping mall at 12:30 pm and later on blocked the inbound Phayathai Road.

The members of the Taxi Community Radio Club said if the government refused to resign by 4 pm, they would use 20,000 taxis to block all roads in Bangkok.

The red shirts led by Jakrapob Penkair have withdrawn from the Si Sao Thewes residence of chief royal adviser General Prem Tinsulanonda to Victory Monument.

More than 100 bus routes are redirected due to the shut-down of traffic at Victory Monument.

Doctors called for protesters to open at least one lane of traffic to facilitate medical services at major hospitals. Hospitals in the vicinity of Victory Monument including Rajvithi, Ramathibodi, King Mongkut, Children's General and Phaya Thai II have all been affected. Many patients are stranded and are not able to make it to these hospitals.

The red shirts later blocked the Democracy Monument on Rajdamnoen Avenue.

Police have closed off traffic around two thoroughfares at Democracy and Victory Monuments.

Traffic got worse in the evening after rain poured over most parts of Bangkok.

The Bangkok Skytrain and Subway are reportedly closed due to fears over security.

(Photo credits: The Nation)

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Abhisit's motorcade attacked in Pattaya

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's motorcade was attacked today during traffic snarls at an intersection heading to South Pattaya Road.

The attack happened at 1:15 pm when Abhisit's official car and a Toyota Prado of the security officials were trapped by angry red-shirted protesters who hit the vehicles and pelted them with water bottles.

Initially, two red-shirted people on a motorcycle, who dispersed from the rally at the Pattaya's Royal Cliff Beach Hotel, recognized Abhisit's car and alerted their red-shirted friends to surround it.

The security officials then had Abhisit moved to the Prado so that they could escape but the number of protesters quickly grew to about 50 and they surrounded both two vehicles and pelted the vehicles with water bottles apart from hitting the vehicles with feet clappers.

A woman waded through police to stick her head inside the vehicle to shout at the prime minister. A protester then used his motorcycle to block the way of the Prado which eventually ran over it. After thee-minute tussle, the Prado managed to run out of the surround but some protesters ran after it and shook the car and hit it with bottles and a helmet, causing a hole at the back window.

The eventually vehicle managed to escape.

Source: The Nation

Saturday, April 04, 2009

Pit Bull Terriers maul 37-year-old woman to death in Nakhon Sawan

A Thai woman in Nakhon Sawan was mauled to death by 3 pit bull terriers, which also injured her three relatives and killed another local dog, police said.

Police said Raksina Techawatanabamrungkij, 37, was killed late Friday night after she released the three pit bull terriers from the cage into the compound of her family's rice mill.

Her mother-in-law, Charoensri Lorlertrat, 53, her daughter, Thaweephan Lorlertrat, 20 months, and her brother-in-law, Satit Lorlertrat, 33, were injured by the dogs.

Charoensri told police that Raksina left the house to release the terriers from their cage at about midnight but she did not come back inside, prompting her daughter to cry.

Charoensri came out to look for her and found her badly-mauled body along with a local pet dog of the family.

The pit bull terriers then turned to attack Charoensri and her granddaughter. She cried for help and when her son came out to help, he was also attacked.

Eventually, Charoensri's husband, Seksuek Lorlertrat, came out to help and shot two terriers dead while the other one escaped.

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