Bombs rattle Bangkok during Asean summit, wounding four

BANGKOK–Several small bombs exploded across Bangkok on Friday, rattling the Thai capital as it hosted a regional summit attended by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and leaving four people wounded but not disrupting the diplomatic event.

Thailand, which has a grim history of political violence, remains deeply divided after a controversial March election returned a junta to power as a civilian government.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, who led the junta, blamed the bombs on “ill-intended people inciting violence” to “destroy peace and the country’s image”, while top Association of Southeast Asian Nation diplomats and their US and Chinese counterparts are in town.

Small devices — believed to be so-called “ping pong bombs” around the size of a table tennis ball — exploded at several locations across the city, all far from the summit venue.

Urging the public not to panic, Prayut said security had been tightened across the capital.

The blasts appeared to be symbolic attacks aimed at embarrassing the government during the major summit but not designed to cause mass casualties.


“Three people received slight injuries from shrapnel,” said Renu Suesattaya, director of Suanluang district where the first bombs were reported.

“I received a report that they are ‘ping pong bombs’ hidden in bushes by the road.”

An emergency service hotline later said a fourth person had been hospitalized.

Two further explosions shattered glass near a well-known downtown skyscraper, emergency police added.

Bomb disposal experts were deployed around the Mahanakorn Tower — owned by the King Power group that counts Leicester City football club among its assets.

‘Democratic fold’

The bombings took place just before a keynote speech by America’s top diplomat Pompeo, in which he praised Thailand for rejoining the “democratic fold” after five years of outright junta rule.

Thailand’s government urged the media to avoid speculation on the motive for the bombings.

“We do not know yet how many people are involved,” deputy prime minister Prawit Wongsuwon told reporters.

The blasts come weeks after former junta leader Prayut was inaugurated as a civilian prime minister, sparking outcry among many pro-democracy supporters in a kingdom scored by divisions.

The junta maneuvered itself back into power with the help of a fully appointed senate stacked with army loyalists and an electoral system its critics say was designed to limit the success of the pro-democracy parties.

A slew of court cases since then targeting an emergent anti-military group have rankled government critics, especially younger voters.

The older “Red Shirt” pro-democracy group has also reacted with outrage to the election, but has so far remained off the streets with the army seemingly in an unassailable position.

Mass protests, coups and short-lived governments have defined Thailand’s recent history, which is peppered with deadly bombings and shootings linked to politics, often by shadowy forces that are never held accountable for their crimes.

Thailand’s last hosting of Asean in 2009 was also overshadowed by unrest. 



Then, “Red Shirt” protesters smashed their way into the summit venue in the resort city of Pattaya demanding elections.

Pandemonium ensued, with a number of leaders having to be rescued from a hotel roof by Thai army helicopters while others fled by boat.

Thailand is also fighting a long-running insurgency in its Muslim-majority southernmost provinces, which occasionally spreads outside the conflict area.

Paul Chambers, a political analyst at Naresuan University, said regardless of who the perpetrators are “they are trying to delegitimize, discredit and destabilize the Thailand summit and embarrass Thailand as hosts.”

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Thailand to host 2018 Miss Universe pageant

BANGKOK — Thailand will host the 2018 Miss Universe beauty pageant, organizers said Tuesday.

The Miss Universe Organization said in a statement that it has granted “sole proprietorship” to a Thai investment firm to host the pageant this December.

Thailand has hosted the competition twice before, most recently in 2005, when it was won by Miss Universe Canada, Natalie Glebova. She afterward settled in Thailand.

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha welcomed the organizers’ choice of Thailand.

“It’s a good thing that their officials see Thailand’s potential,” Prayuth said. “If we can organize it and there are no problems with various agreements, then the government is happy to support it.”

Prayuth said the Ministry of Tourism and Sports would be responsible for overseeing the event and arranging details of how it will be organized.

Organizers said Miss Universe 2018 will be a three-hour event broadcast live on Dec. 16. /ee

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Space X testing tiny submarine to help boys trapped in Thailand cave

MAE SAI, Thailand – Elon Musk’s Space X rocket company is testing a “kid-sized submarine” that could be sent to help boys trapped in a flooded Thailand cave.

Musk posted videos on Twitter of the aluminum sub being tested Sunday at a swimming pool. If the tests come out successful, the sub would be placed on a 17-hour flight to Thailand.

Four of the boys were rescued Sunday, and authorities are now working to replenish air tanks along the cave’s treacherous exit route. They said rescuing the eight remaining boys and their soccer coach could take up to four days.

A spokesman for Musk’s Boring Co. tunneling unit, which has four engineers at the cave, has said Thai officials requested the device, which could potentially help the children through narrow, flooded cave passageways.

Authorities temporarily stopped rescue efforts on Monday to replenish air tanks along the cave’s perilous exit course.

Expert divers managed to get four of the 12 boys to safety on Sunday. They were quickly transported to a hospital in the town of Chiang Rai, the provincial capital.

The names of the rescued boys were not released.

Rescuers have been navigating a dangerous and complicated plan to get the children out under the threat of heavy rain and rising water underground.

The 12 boys and their coach had been trapped in the Tham Luang Nang Non for more than two weeks now.   /kga

source: technology.inquirer.net

Canada will show us if pot is beneficial

BANGKOK — Starting in October, marijuana will be entirely legal in Canada, where lawmakers passed sweeping cannabis legalization last week. Recreational use of pot and hashish by adults will be lawful, and the decision should have a much farther-reaching impact. Interest in the purported health benefits of cannabis will now considerably increase.

While several nations have decriminalized marijuana in part or by region or jurisdiction, Uruguay was until now the only country to legalize it across the board. Canada follows suit with the Cannabis Act, which allows each of the 10 provinces to devise its own system of licensing and regulating related business.

“It’s been too easy for our kids to get marijuana – and for criminals to reap the profits,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. “Today, we change that.” The change is in fact sure to make it even easier for “kids” to access marijuana, if their parents are buying and using it without fear of prosecution, but it will also indeed sever the profits going to illicit dealers, which of course cannot be taxed.


The Canadian move is extremely bold. Critics are howling, but the law displays a political resoluteness based in no small measure on faith. The health benefits of cannabis continue to be debated, but the dispute cannot be resolved without serious, long-term research, and perhaps the Canadian experiment will enable that. Meanwhile, what’s about to happen in Canada will have other members of the international community reviewing their attitudes towards a plant that’s been used since primitive times as a mild intoxicant.

Thailand is among the nations linked unfavorably to marijuana. It is not only a supply source, but also has tough laws that class “ganja” as a dangerous narcotic – as well as inconsistent enforcement of those laws. Its stance and its overseas reputation aren’t going to change anytime soon, but the authorities have at least given hints of progressive thinking, mooting a proposal to allow cannabis to be cultivated for health research.

If health benefits are established, doctors might have a valuable new tool, not least in easing the pain and discomfort of diseases. But such a drastic development might also explain why academic interest in marijuana has been limited. The medical establishment might be clinging to the status quo.In the US, nine states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis, but federally it remains classified as a prohibited drug because there is no official proof of medical merit, and instead high potential for abuse. Thailand too, and most countries, await the evidence it can do some good.

So let’s get on with the serious research. Scientists around the world should be pooling resources and dissecting the claims made for marijuana’s wholesome benefits. Shown proof the benefits exist, politicians would have to choose between public health and conservative reluctance. First comes the science, then the politics.

Few young people today believe cannabis is harmful, apart from coughing when it’s smoked. But doubt has been renewed recently with declarations that the touted medicinal benefits have been inadequately researched. Canada’s leap of faith might turn out to be a terrible mistake, but it has at least encouraged other nations to consider long-overdue action and launch unbiased and unhindered research that will either give the world a minor medical miracle or prove it was all just a pipe dream.

source: opinion.inquirer.net

Why Luis Manzano loves combat sports

Chased by legions of fans, a shirtless Luis Manzano seeks cover in his dressing room. Not that the girls are swooning over the TV host’s buff body. They are actually running after a can of tuna in his hand.

Since the airing of that Century Tuna commercial a few months ago, sales of its corned variant, which Manzano is an endorser, have skyrocketed.

“He is very masa yet upscale,” commented Greg Banzon, general manager of Century Pacific Food, on Manzano’s influence. “An approachable and genuine authority figure, while being funny at the same time.”

Manzano admitted to Inquirer Lifestyle that he was chunky before the commercial was shot. Last year, he indulged in pizzas and chocolates, particularly hazelnut and white variants. “I have a sweet tooth,” he said.

His mother, actress and Lipa City Rep. Vilma Santos, was concerned since her son works in a visual and unforgiving medium. She remarked, “Anak, tumataba ka na. Ang pangit ng leeg mo. Mag-kuwelyo ka, anak. (Son, you are putting on weight. Your neck looks awful. Wear a collar, son).”

At the time of the interview, the 35-year-old celebrity had lost 10 lbs for the commercial and planned to lose more.

Manzano has since been on a low-carbohydrate and high-protein diet, and eats chocolates only as a reward.

He wakes up to a clove of garlic or cinnamon for their medicinal properties, and eats blueberries for antioxidants.

A typical meal would include whole wheat bread, quinoa or brown rice with tuna, naturally, and broccoli and carrots. He eases up during Sunday meals with his mother.

Manzano keeps fit with martial arts—tae kwon do, aikido, judo, jiujitsu, tabemina Balintawak (Filipino reflex training with sticks), mixed martial arts and Muay Thai (Thai boxing).

He picked up his penchant for combat sports from his father, actor-host, Edu Manzano, who is a judoka, a judo expert.

The younger Manzano fell in love with mixed martial arts for its simplicity and complexity.

“You get the best from each discipline and put them all together to be as effective as possible,” he said. “It’s primal. You’re always surging with adrenaline.”

Between hosting schedules, he works out at the Ultimate Fitness Center, where he trains for Muay Thai and jiujitsu under different coaches.

Physically and mentally

“The workouts balance you physically and mentally. One thing I’ve learned from my coach is that you always assume that your opponent is more skilled than you. There’s always the bigger fish,” said Manzano.

To improve his skills, he even attended a Muay Thai fight camp in Phuket, Thailand. His coach started fighting at age 7 to escape poverty, recorded 500 fights and retired at age 39. The coach would flunk Manzao if he didn’t do well.

Combat sports are not without injuries. In Thailand, Manzano had a month-long bump from shin-to-shin sparring. Then there were the usual shoulder strains from pulling punches and low back pains for not warming up properly or when learning a new movement. He’s had to lay off for weeks to recover from an injury.

Nonetheless, Manzano doesn’t let injuries get in the way of his goal, which is improving his technique and building endurance.

Since stamina is his Achilles heel, he does CrossFit to complement his combat sports. If he wakes up early, he drinks a glass of water and coffee and works out for 30 minutes, swinging kettle bells or rowing.

Manzano loves the thrill of competition. However, his celebrity parents, his girlfriend, actress Jessy Mendiola, and his manager have prohibited him from competing. “I can’t say ‘I have a shoot tomorrow, please don’t hit my face!’ I could easily get a black eye or worse, a cut,” he said.

He sensibly chose work over passion. Asked what motivates him to pursue combat sports, he cited health reasons: “I see people at a young age getting sick. Some friends die because of health problems. My main goal is to spend quality time with my future family.” —CONTRIBUTED

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Kit Kat durian suggested by Thailand to boost tourism

One of the smelliest fruit in the world, many both love and hate the durian. And yet a curious bid could result in a durian-flavored Kit Kat.

As a means to help boost tourism, Thailand sent in a list of suggested local delicacies that they believe would be ripe for a Kit Kat flavor, reports RocketNews24.

Kit Kats in Japan are well-known for featuring all sorts of flavor, from green tea to sake, even wasabi. Having a Kit Kat flavor after Asia’s pungent “king of fruits” would be quite a curiosity.

Thai minister for tourism and sports Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul stated that Nestlé, Kit Kat’s manufacturer, is currently exploring the feasibility of a durian Kit Kat.

While surprising, this is not the first time that an odd Kit Kat flavor was released. Currently, the title of “oddest creation” would probably go to either Kit Kat pizza or Kit Kat sushi. But if they get the smell right, Durian Kit Kat could be a close contender. Alfred Bayle/JB

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Car bomb in southern Thailand injures 7 police, 2 civilians

PATTANI, Thailand  — A roadside police patrol camp in southern Thailand was attacked Saturday by an improvised car bomb that left seven officers and two civilians injured, police said.

The attack in Pattani province was believed to have been carried out by Muslim insurgents who targeted the outpost used by special forces, said police Col. Keerati Waeyoosoh, the Pattani police superintendent.

Keerati said the bomb, made from a cylinder gas tank, was placed inside a car that had been stolen earlier Saturday from a tire shop whose owner was shot three times but survived. The car was then parked before it exploded outside a roadside restaurant adjacent to the police camp, which was destroyed by the blast.

More than 5,000 people have been killed since an insurgency erupted in 2004 in Thailand’s three southernmost provinces, the only ones with Muslim majorities in the predominantly Buddhist country. Last year, the level of violence dropped, according to official figures, but peace talks have made little apparent progress.

The insurgents are known for drive-by shootings and bombs placed on parked motorcycles and cars.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Thai police release sketch of Bangkok bomb suspect

This image released by the Royal Thai Police on Wednesday, August 19, shows the photofit of a man suspected to be the Bangkok bomber, seen on security footage leaving a backpack at a shrine moments before a bomb detonated, killing 20 people and wounding scores more on August 17. Thai police released the detailed sketch of the suspected Bangkok bomber, who "might be foreign or Thai," according to national police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri. AFP/Royal Thai Police









CCTV footage

On Tuesday, a day after the bombing at a religious shrine in Bangkok's busy Ratchaprasong commercial district, police released grainy closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of a young man wearing a yellow t-shirt.

The man is shown in CCTV footage dumping a backpack and walking away from the scene of the blast minutes before the explosion.

Police have said the man is a suspect but that others could be behind the attack. They have not ruled out any group, including elements opposed to the military government, though they said it did not match the tactics of Moro insurgents in the south or 'red shirt' supporters of the previous administration.

The sketch, say police, could help locate the yellow-shirted man seen in the CCTV footage. A 1 million baht ($28,000) reward has been offered to anyone who can give police information leading to his arrest.

Police also said they would take the sketch to a court and ask that an arrest warrant be issued for a man matching the description.

"We think the investigation team will ask for the arrest warrant tonight," said police spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri.

Police chief Somyot Pumpanmuang told a news conference that it was not clear how many people were involved in the attack or if they were still in the country.

At the same news conference, spokesman Prawut said "two to three" people had been questioned by police since the attack. — Reuters

Thai govt: Suspect identified in 'worst ever' bombing

Thailand's junta leader said Tuesday a suspect had been identified in the bombing of a packed Bangkok religious shrine, condemning the blast that killed at least 20 people as the "worst ever attack" on the kingdom.

The blast occurred on Monday in one of the Thai capital's most popular tourism hubs, ripping through a crowd of worshippers at the Hindu shrine close to five-star hotels and upscale shopping malls.

Chinese, Hong Kong, Singaporean, Indonesian and Malaysian citizens were among the 20 people killed, police said.

More than 100 other people were injured as the blast left body parts strewn across crushed pavement, alongside shattered windows and incinerated motorcycles.

Junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha on Tuesday branded the bombing the "worst ever attack" on Thailand, as he said the hunt was on for a suspicious man filmed on closed circuit television near the shrine.

"Today there is a suspect... we are looking for this guy," Prayut told reporters.

Police released CCTV footage showing the apparently young man in a yellow T-shirt walking near the shrine wearing a backpack, but then a short time later walking away without it.

"Things are becoming clearer now," Defence Minisiter Prawit Wongsuwon told reporters, although he declined to give details and authorities did not reveal if they had any motives for the attack.

Bangkok has endured a decade of deadly political violence amid a power struggle between the military, backed by the middle class and elite, and the poor led by populist politician Thaksin Shinawatra.

He is living in self-imposed exile after being ousted as premier in 2006. The junta has ruled the nation since May last year after toppling the elected government of Thaksin's sister, Yingluck.

Bangkok's power struggle has seen repeated rounds of deadly street protests and bombings for nearly a decade.

More than 90 people were killed in 2010 during clashes between security forces and Thaksin supporters -- many in the same area as Monday's bomb.

But the anti-junta groups have never conducted such a large attack, nor one that was apparently aimed at a tourist zone.

No obvious culprit

And with no-one claiming responsibility for Monday's assault, political and security experts said there was no obvious culprit.

Zachary Abuza, an independent expert on Thai security, told AFP he doubted it was in the interests of the anti-junta groups to carry out such an attack.

"Even if they are hell-bent on bringing down the government I just can't see them targeting a Hindu or any other religious shrine," Zachary Abuza, an independent expert on Thai security, told AFP.

"That would really alienate many of their supporters."

Muslim rebels from the country's far south have also waged a separatist insurgency for more than a decade that has claimed thousands of lives, mostly civilians.

But they have never been known to carry out substantial attacks in Bangkok, and Abuza as well as other analysts said Monday's bombing did not follow the insurgents' typical modus operandi.

Paul Chambers, director of research at the Institute of South East Asian Affairs in Thailand, said groups with links to military factions also had to be considered as potential suspects.

Various Islamic militant groups have also carried out many attacks in other parts of Southeast Asia, including on Indonesia's holiday island of Bali in 2002 that killed 202 people.

But they have not made Thailand a prime target.

Tourists 'targeted'

Junta leaders said the bomb was obviously aimed at damaging the country's tourist industry, which is a rare bright spot in an otherwise gloomy economy, and tarnishing the junta's reputation.

"(The attackers) had the clear target of destroying our economy and tourism.... and discrediting the government," Wongsuwon, the defence minister, told reporters.

Thailand's baht currency slumped to a more than six-year low on Tuesday and shares fell in Bangkok over concerns the attack could damage the tourism sector.

Built in 1956, the Erawan is an enormously popular shrine to the Hindu god Brahma but is visited by thousands of Buddhist devotees every day.

The bomb was detonated shortly before 7:00 pm (1200 GMT) in the middle of the city's rush hour, sending a fireball into the sky as commuters and tourists fled in panic.

Thais walking near the blast site on Tuesday expressed fear about more potential violence in the coming days.

"I'm worried about Bangkok, I don't know what will happen next," one woman, who gave her name as Rivewan, told AFP.

Adding to the tensions, a small explosion struck near a busy Bangkok train station on Tuesday afternoon, but police said nobody was injured.

Around 1,000 people queued for hours at a blood donation centre near the blast site on Tuesday, many crying as they waited to be seen by nurses.

"This shouldn't have happened to the Thai people," Pongchai Kulsitthiwong, a 45-year-old mobile phone seller told AFP, tears rolling down his cheeks while waiting to give blood.

Monday's attack drew quick expressions of grief from around the world. The US government released a statement warning its citizens to avoid the area, while also voicing sympathy for the victims. —Agence France-Presse

source: gmanetwork.com

A Filipino among dozens killed in Bangkok bombing –Thai police

BANGKOK  -  A Filipino was among the 27 people killed when a bomb on a motorcycle exploded on Monday just outside a Hindu shrine in the Thai capital, media reported, in an attack the government said was a bid to destroy the economy.

Two people from China and one from the Philippines were among the dead, a tourist police officer said. Domestic media said 27 people had been killed, 10 of them men and 17 women.

Police said 78 people were wounded. Media said most of them were from China and Taiwan.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast at the Erawan shrine at a major city-center intersection. Thai forces are fighting a low-level Muslim insurgency in the predominantly Buddhist country's south, but those rebels have rarely launched attacks outside their ethnic Malay heartland.

"The perpetrators intended to destroy the economy and tourism, because the incident occurred in the heart of the tourism district," Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan told Reuters.

The Erawan shrine, on a busy corner near top hotels, shopping centers, offices and a hospital, is a major attraction, especially for visitors from East Asia, including China. Many ordinary Thais also worship there.

The government would set up a "war room" to coordinate the response to the blast, the Nation television channel quoted Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha as saying.

"It was like a meat market," said Marko Cunningham, a New Zealand paramedic working with a Bangkok ambulance service, who said the blast had left a two-meter-wide (6-foot-) crater.

"There were bodies everywhere. Some were shredded. There were legs where heads were supposed to be. It was horrific," Cunningham said, adding that people several hundred metres away had been injured.

POLITICAL TENSION

At the scene, authorities ordered onlookers back, saying they were checking for a second bomb.

"We are now looking for another two to three bombs, as we have found one suspicious object," national police chief Prawut Thawornsiri told Reuters.

"There could be another explosion, so we have blocked off the crime scene and are asking bystanders to move back."

Authorities stepped up security checks at some major city intersections and in tourist areas.

While initial suspicion might fall on Muslim separatists in the south, Thailand has been riven for a decade by an intense and sometimes violent struggle for power between political factions in Bangkok.

Occasional small blasts have been blamed on one side or the other. Two pipe bombs exploded outside a luxury shopping mall in the same area in February, but caused little damage.

Police said that attack was aimed at raising tension when the city was under martial law.

The army has ruled Thailand since May 2014, when it ousted an elected government after months of at times violent anti-government protests.

The shrine intersection was the site of months of anti-government protests in 2010 by supporters of ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Dozens were killed in a military crackdown and a shopping centre was set ablaze.  — Reuters

FIFA suspension looms as Thais fight reforms

Thailand face a FIFA-imposed suspension on Monday after a lowly fourth tier club refused to balk at pressure from the world governing body to drop a court order halting controversial reforms that has left the game in crisis.

Thai FA (FAT) leader and FIFA executive committee member Worawi Makudi has also, so far unsuccessfully, pressured Pattaya FC to drop the court injunction which led to him postponing last Sunday's FAT presidential elections indefinitely.

The argument centres on one of the FIFA and Worawi backed reforms that would see the slashing of the number of eligible voters from around 180 to just 72.

Worawi wanted to push through the new reforms in line with FIFA statues in a vote on June 15 before holding the presidential election a day later, just before his latest term ended.

But Pattaya secured an order from Bangkok's Min Buri court on June 14 that prevented the Thai FA meeting to vote on the matter before the court reaches a verdict on the club's claim, local media reported

Critics say shrinking the vote is a ploy by Worawi to retain his seat amongst growing unpopularity. The controversial 61-year-old says the new reforms are a FIFA prerequisite.

FIFA said they could impose a suspension on Thailand should Pattaya not drop the claim by Monday, which Worawi said would jeopardise lucrative tours by Barcelona, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea to the Southeast Asian country in the coming weeks.

The Thai Sports Authority are also watching the case with Thai Sports law dictating that an election must be held within 30 days of the incumbent's term expiring.

Annop Singtothong, vice president of Thai Premier League club Chon Buri FC and a rival of Worawi, said this week he would canvas members of the FAT to force the election to happen within the 30-day period and queried the timing of the reforms.

"All members are willing to comply with FIFA's regulations," he told English language daily The Nation.

"In fact, we had no objection with the new statute. But, we just would like to ask why there is an attempt to amend the rules on the final day of incumbent's mandate."

DEATH THREATS

Pattaya had also brought a suit against Worawi but dropped that earlier this week as it deemed he could no longer legitimately run the association following the end of this third two-year term on Sunday, the Nation reported on Wednesday.

The paper also said the club had received death threats.

FIFA were adamant that Pattaya were wrong to involve the courts in football governance.

"By pursuing their action before an ordinary court of law, the club's behaviour prevents FAT from managing its affairs independently and undermines the competent decision-making bodies of FAT, which is clearly contrary to the above obligations," FIFA said in a letter to FAT secretary-general Ong-arj Kosinkar on Monday, carried by several local media.

Football fan Pinit Ngarmpring, who is standing against Worawi in the FAT elections, pleaded for leniency in a replying letter to several high-standing FIFA officials including president Sepp Blatter.

Former national team manager Virach Charnpanich is also standing in the elections and he joined Pinit in a news conference this week to criticise Worawi for the timing of the reform push.

"This may prove that he wants to gain an upper hand in the election," he was quoted as saying by the Bangkok Post on Wednesday.

Worawi has long been plagued with allegations of corruption during his tenure with FIFA and the FAT but has successfully defended himself each time to remain in his powerful positions.

However, he failed in his bid to become Asian Football Confederation president in May when he was comprehensively beaten by Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa.

His popularity in Thailand has also suffered. He was criticised after a chaotic hosting of the FIFA Futsal World Cup last year which saw the main venue go unused after construction delays.

On Wednesday, he angrily denied the letter sent by FIFA officials threatening suspension was a fake.

"It is my responsibility. I am trying to do everything to follow the FIFA rules. As for my position on FIFA's board... it's not related to this problem." - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Beauty queen Kevin Balot happy to be accepted as a transgender by her father

Newly-crowned Miss International Queen 2012 Kevin Balot had one big wish: to be accepted as a transgender by her father.

In an interview with Luane Dy on GMA Network's “Unang Hirit” morning news program on Monday, Balot said her wish finally came true as her father now accepts her sexual orientation.

“Okay na. It’s fine,” said Balot, 21, who was crowned Miss International Queen 2012 in Thailand's seaside resort Pattaya on November 2.

Balot, who joined an international beauty pageant for the first time, bested 21 other candidates from 15 countries.

Balot was also awarded Miss Photogenic.

Balot received a grand prize of $10,000 and a crown from a well-known gem store in Thailand. She will represent the transvestite pageant in numerous occasions.

Four Filipinos including Balot joined the pageant but only two made it through the final 10.

A Filipino fan said winning a transvestite contest in Thailand, the land of "lady boys," was like winning a soccer tournament in Brazil.

In an interview with reporters after the event, Balot said, "I'm very proud to be first here, and I hope my dad will accept me. Because in the family I'm the only boy, and my dad has big expectations of me. I made it. I won the International Queen Pageant, and I believe that my dad will accept me not only as his son but also as his daughter."

On "Unang Hirit," Balot said, “Ever since naman talaga okay na talaga pero noong before meron talagang complication kasi only boy.”

Balot said her father was longing for a son because she was the only boy in the family.

Now Balot and her father have already put their differences aside.




High expectations

Balot explained that she had long been planning to join the international contest.

"Oo, actually talagang matagal na pinagplanuhan ito ng mga friends and manager ko,” she said.

However, her friends told her not to expect anything to avoid becoming disappointed if things don't turn out as she wishes.

“If you expect a lot you invite more disappointment,” she said. “Kaya nag-enjoy lang ako. I had great camaraderie with my co-candidates coming from other countries.”

She said she became good friends with the candidate from Thailand.

Asked what she thought made her win the contest, Balot cited a Thai blog that said she stood out in the swimsuit and question and answer portions.

For the talent portion, she also said that she danced “Gangnam Style” by Korean rapper PSY who is now an international sensation.

Movie offers

Balot confirmed that she has several movie offers in Thailand after the conclusion of the pageant.

However, she said it is up to the pageant officials to decide which projects she will be working on.

In her message to her fans, Balot said: “To all the fans that have been supporting me ever since maraming, maraming salamat sa inyo.”

She also thanks her family and friends for the “undying support” that they have given her.

Balot also acknowledged the Thai people and their hospitality while she was in their country.

There are 14,954 Filipinos in Thailand based on the 2010 Stock Estimate of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas.- VVP, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com