AWOL Cha Am
29 March 2013
FREE weekly issue 2 25
To Hull And Back Sudoku Hua Hin Golf Birdie Hunt
poached Victor
guesthouse
police raids carried out in hua hin
hua hin, THAILAND An amazing series of raids carried out on Monday morning by Provincial police and the Army in Hua Hin and Kaeng Krachan ended with the seizure of nearly a hundred firearms and other weapons that could have been used by elephant poachers. The raid was in response to the killing of a female elephant with a calf earlier this month in Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi. The 375-strong force drawn from Provincial Police Region 7 officers backed by special units of the Royal Thai Army searched 111 locations, seizing 82 .22 rifles, eight long-barrel shotguns, and several hand-held hunting weapons. Pol Lt Gen Harnpol Nitwibul, commissioner of Provincial Police Region 7 said the investigation team contacted the local registry offices and obtained a list of potential suspects based on the information provided by investigators. The police say the elephant was killed either by poachers, farmers or local hunters. The weapon used was possibly a CZ .22LR rifle. Tests will be carried out to see if bullets found in the elephant’s carcass were fired from any of the seized weapons. Investigators will also take DNA samples from hand-held weapons as evidence. The female elephant, aged 7-10 years, was found dead near a creek in Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi province on March 8. The elephant had several wounds, including four bullet holes in its hide. Investigators suspect poachers killed the elephant and took away its calf for sale to a client. But an extensive search has failed to find the calf or the poachers. Other possibilities are that the elephant was shot by farmers angry because the animal destroyed their crops, or that local hunters shot the elephant in self-defence, police said. While it is admirable that the authorities are taking such steps to catch the culprits, it does seem at odds with how violent crimes affecting people are investigated. Elephants and people all need the same protection.
open 24/7
Naresdamri Rd. opposite Brasserie de Paris
Rooms/family suites in heart of Hua Hin a/c, lcd tv, dvd player, fridge, free premium wifi, cable TV www.victorguesthousehuahin.com
GET RACING FROM ONLY 400 BAHT! OPEN EVERYDAY 10.30AM - 7PM, LATE NIGHT BY APPOINTMENT Call 032 547 199 (Office) or 081 817 3000 (Mobile) Soi 2, Phetchkasem Road opposite Hua Hin Airport
www.gokarthuahin.com