Cuisine: The Public Health Ministry dismissed claims by an Australian couple that they became sick after eating Pad Thai in Phuket.
'Parasitic' Pad Thai claims not true
Responding to the couple's claim that the Pad Thai that they consumed at a Phuket food court in 2017 gave them a parasite called Dientamoeba fragilis, Sukhum Karnchanapimai, the permanent secretary for public health, said the claim was not scientifically proven.
He added the parasite can be found on every continent.
However, samples taken from diarrhoea patients in Thailand have not shown the parasite as the cause of their ailments, Dr Sukhum said.
Benz OK20 sought over 'franchise con'
fraud: Legal action is being sought against a celebrity who allegedly conned individuals to invest in a franchise business leading to damages worth over 10 million baht.
Natchapat Hiranworasathit, 48, along with 10 others filed a complaint with the Crime Suppression Division accusing Noppol Boonchokeying -- known in entertainment circles as Benz OK20 -- of duping them into opening a franchise business selling household goods for 20 baht per piece.
Ms Natchapat said she gave the suspect 430,000 baht on June 1 as a co-investment. However, the suspect failed to supply the inventory, claiming the goods were held up in warehouses overseas.
After that Mr Noppol could not be reached. Ms Natchapat said she knew the suspect from Facebook and thought he could be trusted as he had appeared on TV shows.
Cops seize meth pills after shootout
Chiang Mai: At least 5 million methamphetamine pills and other drugs were seized following a shootout between security forces and drug traffickers in Mae Ai district yesterday.
A combined force of police, local leaders and the military clashed with five traffickers near the village of Ban Pa Loke early yesterday.
The suspects who were delivering drugs to the area shot at the police-led unit, which returned fire. The shootout, which lasted for about 10 minutes, killed one trafficker who was later identified as 37-year-old Surachia Mooku, a Chiang Mai native.
The other traffickers fled the scene and left behind five million meth pills, 10kg of ketamine and 10kg of crystal meth or ya ice.
Seven officers sent to inactive posts
Police: Seven policemen from Lak Song station in Bangkok have been transferred to inactive posts pending an investigation into an allegation they assaulted a handcuffed suspect on July 7.
The transfer order was signed by Pol Maj Gen Kampanat Sophanodon, commander of the Metropolitan Police Division 9 (MPD9), which supervises Lak Song police.
The officers, including chief inspector Pol Lt Col Santi Pathumrat, appeared in a picture allegedly beating up a suspect, who was handcuffed, in the back of a pickup truck.
The picture was uploaded by a web page called 'Heb Mah' (Dog's Tick) and shared widely on social media.
Lao women caught in karaoke den
CRIME: Nine Lao women, including an underage teen, were caught working as prostitutes in a karaoke bar in Ubon Ratchathani's Det Udom district, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) said yesterday.
The discovery came after a DSI raid on the bar in tambon Muang Det on Wednesday, DSI director-general Paisit Wongmuang said.
The raid followed a tip that the bar provided Lao girls for sex, including underage girls. It is believed all the women fell prey to a human trafficking gang.
