Park Yong-Ha dies from apparent suicide

South Korean entertainer Park Yong Ha, one of the most sought after actors in South Korea and a popular singer in Japan, was found dead in his home in Seoul on Wednesday in an apparent suicide, local media reported.

R.I.P Park Yong-ha
(August 12, 1977 – June 30, 2010)

Park's body was found by his mother with an electrical cord around his neck but there was no suicide note, The Korea Herald quoted police as reporting.

Park, 32, had recently devoted himself to nursing his ailing father who was in the final stages of stomach cancer. He was reported to have been struggling with sleep problems as well.

Park made his acting debut in 1992 but rose to fame in 2002 in the television drama "Winter Sonata", winning a following in Japan and other nations in southeast Asia.

He also forged a career for himself as a singer in Japan where he put out 10 hit albums in the past five years and won four consecutive Japan Gold Disc Awards -- a first for a Korean pop singer.

He was due to start filming in July for a Korean television drama called "Comrades, Almost a Love Story", which is a remake of a popular 1996 Hong Kong film.

Park's death comes after a string of suicides by South Korean celebrities in recent years.

Figures from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 2009 show that South Korea's suicide rate experienced a sharp increase from the late 1990s and South Korea now has the highest rate among OECD countries of around 22 deaths per 100,000 people.

Source: Reuters

Seh Daeng shot in head in Bangkok

Key Red Shirt leader Major-General Khattiya Sawasdipol aka “Seh Daeng” was shot in the head at Silom while being interviewed by foreign journalists on Thursday.

Khattiya is a rogue Thai general leading the anti-government guards to provide security for Red Shirts. The anti-government protest that has closed much of central Bangkok's business district is now in its seventh week.

Sompien Eksomya, Top Thai Police Hero dies

Sompien Eksomya (Thai: พ.ต.อ.สมเพียร เอกสมญา), superintendent of Yala's Bannang Sata district police, and three subordinates were seriously wounded in a roadside bomb attack in the district yesterday. Sompien had recently asked the premier for a transfer to a safer area before his retirement next year.



Pol Col Sompien was later pronounced dead at hospital. The home-made bomb exploded about 1.30pm when the pick-up truck carrying the four officers drove along a road in Thap Chang village in tambon Talingchan of Bannang Sata district.

The bomb destroyed the vehicle and left a 1m-deep hole.

The three other injured officers were Pol Lt Kittisak Loma, Pol Snr Sgt Maj Sophon Intharabovorn and Pol Cpl Ravikorn Sangsiri. Pol Col Sompien's team was attacked after visiting villagers following reports southern insurgents were active in the area. Last month, Songkhla native Pol Col Sompien - known as "the fighter at Budo mountain" - sought help from Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva at Government House. He asked to be transferred from the area to Trang province before his retirement next year.

He said he had worked in violence-affected areas in the southern border provinces for 40 years and he would like to end his career in safety.

Pol Col Sompien said he had been overlooked in the latest reshuffle of senior police, which in his view was unfair.

Pol Col Saratoon Pradit, chief of Sa Bot district police in Lop Buri and a friend of the dead officer, said Pol Col Sompien called him on Thursday.

He said he had not received any help, even though the Royal Thai Police assured him he would get fair treatment.

R.I.P The fighter at Budo mountain.

News Yamashita Tomohisa in Code Blue 2

Yamashita Tomohisa (24) from NEWS will reprise his role as a doctor in ‘Code Blue Doctor Heli Kinkyuu Kyuumei 2nd season’ that starts in January at the 9pm Monday slot next year. The first season aired on Thursdays at 10pm last summer and this time Fuji TV has moved it to the most prominent spot in its lineup. Furthermore Yamashita was also the lead in a Monday at 9 drama that aired this July and this is the first time in history that anyone has held the spot in the main role with one season separating the two appearances.

Yamapi’s power seems unstoppable. In summer, he played a pro basketball player in ‘Buzzer Beat Gakeppuchi no Hero’. Currently ‘Tokyo DOGS’ (lead played by Oguri Shun) is on air and soon the next season will start with Yamashita in the lead again.

Ever since the Getsu 9 slot was established in 1987, there has never been a case of anyone in the lead role separated by a mere season, proving the strength of his popularity. The average ratings for ‘Code Blue’ that started airing in July 2008 was 15.9%, the highest among dramas on commercial broadcast that season. The special that aired in January earlier this year garnered 23.1% in ratings.

The other young case members, Aragaki Yui (21), Toda Erika (21), Higa Manami (23) and Asari Yousuke (22) will also return in the 2nd season.

‘Doctor Heli’ are doctors who fly in special helicopters to aid patients as soon as possible and also administer medical treatment while transporting them to medical institutions.

Yamashita commented,”I want to show the importance of these helicopters so that the number of ‘Doctor Heli’ will increase.” Expect a powerful medical drama this New Year.

88news.net

USS Ronald Reagan in Phuket

Almost 5,000 US Navy sailors arrived in Phuket on September 22 on board the enormous aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. With the USS Ronald Reagan comes the guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville and the guided-missile destroyer USS Howard. This will be the largest contingent of US sailors to visit Phuket. Two of the crew members happen to be Thais!



3 US warships bringing thousands of sailors to take shore leave on the island is believed to benefit Phuket tourism, with an estimated 34 Million Baht cash flow each day. The ship is docked off Phuket until 27th September.

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) is a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The ninth ship of the class “Nimitz”. It is named in honor of former President Ronald Reagan, President of the United States from 1981 to 1989. Further, USS Ronald Reagan was the first ship to be named for a living former president.

Da Torpedo jailed for 18 years

The Thai Criminal Court on Friday found activist Daranee Chancheonsilapakul, aka Da Torpedo, guilty of lese majeste and sentenced her to a combined jail term of 18 years.



Daranee Chancheonsilapakul, 46, made a series of inflammatory speeches at the red-shirt rallies, notably the demonstration last June at Sanam Luang. Her remarks were against the 2006 coup but laced with offensive references to the monarchy.

The court said in its verdict that Daranee had maliciously offended the monarchy as per Article 112 of the Criminal Code.

She was penalised for three counts of lese majeste, each carrying the punishment for six year imprisonment.

The court found no cause for leniency because the defendant showed no remorse.

Source: Bangkok Post