Latest news with #WaterFestival
Wales Online
3 days ago
- Wales Online
Holidaymakers caught smuggling 37kg of cannabis after dream Thai trip
Holidaymakers caught smuggling 37kg of cannabis after dream Thai trip A judge later described their actions as 'naïve and stupid' Lewis Ellis and James Poutch have been sentenced Two young men who jetted off for a three-week holiday in Thailand ended up in the dock after being stopped at Manchester Airport on their return. Lewis Ellis and James Poutch had travelled to the South-east Asian country in April to attend the Water Festival. But when they landed back in the UK, they were stopped by customs officials — and questioned about what they were bringing home. Ellis, 20, immediately came clean, telling officers: 'I have cannabis in my bag, I may as well tell you because you're going to see it.' Border Force officers went on to discover a total of 37 kilograms of cannabis, packed in vacuum-sealed plastic packages, inside the two men's luggage. Both later pleaded guilty to being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of a prohibition on the importation of class B drugs. Don't miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here A judge later described their actions as 'naïve and stupid' and handed down suspended sentences. Prosecutor Georgia Kennedy-Curnow told the court that Ellis and Poutch, 19, were stopped at Manchester Airport after arriving on a flight from Bangkok via Abu Dhabi. She said Ellis explained he had been on a leisure trip with a friend he knew from school. A search of Ellis' suitcase revealed 19.83 kilograms of cannabis. James Poutch (Image: Facebook ) Poutch was stopped shortly after. He told officials he had packed the suitcase himself and was not carrying it on anyone else's behalf. His luggage contained 17.22 kilograms of the drug. 'The defendant said he had lost his phone abroad and both defendants gave no comment in their interviews,' Ms Kennedy-Curnow said. Defence barrister Simon Hustler, representing both men, told the court: 'The defendants would not seek to persuade the court that this was anything other than naked stupidity by two young men. 'Their families are in court today and are as livid as they were when they were before the lower court.' Lewis Ellis (Image: Facebook ) Mr Hustler added that Ellis, who had eight previous convictions, was now in a 'last chance saloon.' Sentencing the pair, Recorder Geoffrey Lowe said: 'You had an operational function in the chain, to courier these drugs into another country. 'This was naive and stupid for both of you - you exposed yourselves to the risk of imprisonment.' Poutch, of Fenby Gardens, Bradford, received a 16-month sentence, suspended for two years. Mr Hustler explained that both men had paid for the trip themselves and initially travelled with the intention of attending the Water Festival. It was during their time in Thailand that they encountered individuals and agreed to transport the drugs. Ellis, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to 18 months, also suspended for two years. Article continues below Both were ordered to complete 240 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
School mates partied hard on holiday - but it ended very badly at UK airport
School pals Lewis Ellis and James Poutch spent three-weeks in Thailand for a festival - they ended up in court after their bags were searched at Manchester Airport Two British school mates who went away on a three-week party holiday in Thailand received a shock when they landed back in the UK. Lewis Ellis and James Poutch were pulled aside at Manchester Airport and ended up in court because of what they brought back to the UK. Ellis, 20, and Poutch, 19, had travelled to South East Asia for the Water Festival, which is meant to symbolise new beginnings and cleansing troubles, in April. And customs officials in the UK found a total of 37 kilos of drugs in plastic-sealed packages in both of their suitcases when they returned. Both of the young men were stopped after flying home from Bangkok via Abu Dhabi and were confronted by officials. Ellis was pulled over first and told customs officers he had been on a three-week leisure trip with a friend he knew from school. When asked about the contents of his suitcase, the 20-year-old said: "I have cannabis in my bag, I may as well tell you because you're going to see it." 19.83 kilos of cannabis were found in his bag, reports Manchester Evening News. Poutch was then spoken to by customs staff. He told them he packed his suitcase himself and was not looking after it for somebody else. Officers discovered 17.22 kilos in his suitcase. Later in court, Georgia Kennedy-Curnow, prosecuting, said: "The defendant said he had lost his phone abroad and both defendants gave no comment in their interviews." Representing both, Simon Hustler said they had paid for the holiday and travelled there to attend the Water festival. But, while they were there, they came into contact with individuals in Thailand and they decided to transport the drugs. Ellis and Poutch were handed suspended sentences as the judge dubbed the incident "naïve and stupid". Sentencing, Recorder Geoffrey Lowe said: "You had an operational function in the chain, to courier these drugs into another country. This was naive and stupid for both of you - you exposed yourselves to the risk of imprisonment." Poutch, from Bradford, was handed 16 months suspended for two years and Ellis was given a 18 months suspended for two years. The young men were also both ordered to complete 240 hours unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days. Hustler told the court: "The defendants would not seek to persuade the court that this was anything other than naked stupidity by two young men. Their families are in court today and are as livid as they were when they were before the lower court." He said for Ellis, who had eight previous convictions on his record, this was a "last chance saloon".
The Star
23-04-2025
- The Star
QuickCheck: Did protesters spray water at police in Perak recently?
A screenshot of the video that went viral showing a policeman being sprayed with water allegedly during a protest. IN THE world of social media, videos can quickly lead to misunderstandings and spark debates. A recent video has raised questions about whether the public was using water pistols on police officers as a form of protest. Did this incident reflect public dissatisfaction, or was there another explanation? Verdict: FALSE A viral video showing individuals spraying water at police officers was recorded during the Songkran Festival in Pengkalan Hulu, Perak, and was not an act of protest. This annual celebration, known as the Water Festival, is part of the traditional Thai New Year festivities observed by the Siamese community in Malaysia. The video, which circulated widely on Facebook, initially led viewers to believe that the public was using water pistols on the police to express dissatisfaction. However, an investigation by Bernama's revealed that the event took place during the National Level Songkran Festival, officiated by the National Unity Minister in collaboration with the Siamese Association of Malaysia. The police confirmed that the "incident" was actually part of the festivities held at the event and posed no threat or disrespect to the officers, who were on duty escorting the minister. Pengkalan Hulu OCPD Supt Zulkepli Ibrahim stated that the incident was part of the celebrations and not intended to be a hostile act. The Songkran Festival has been celebrated at Kampung Tasek in Pengkalan Hulu for the past 50 years. It involves the playful splashing of water to symbolise purification and the washing away of bad luck. The police urged the public to avoid making speculative or discordant comments regarding the video. The festival is a symbol of unity, prosperity, and peace, with participation from leaders and communities of various ethnic backgrounds in Malaysia. Source: 1.
Hans India
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Celebrate Thingyan Festival at Burma Burma till May 11
Burma Burma restaurants across India are celebrating Thingyan, the Burmese New Year and harvest festival, with a specially curated festive menu by Head Chef Ansab Khan. Inspired by the traditional home-style feasts enjoyed during Thingyan, the limited-time menu showcases the rich culinary diversity of Burma through a variety of authentic dishes. Thingyan, also known as the Water Festival, symbolizes purification and renewal, marked by water splashing and community feasting. Drawing from this cultural backdrop, the menu's centrepiece is the Thingyan Tiffin Meal for Two, served in an enamel tiffin, featuring a multi-course spread of festive favorites. It includes: Delete Edit Hand-tossed Broad Beans with a Fried Tofu Sandwich Mock Meatball Curry with flaky Palata Tofu and Bottle Gourd Curry Jasmine Rice with White Peas topped with stir-fried spicy soybean Pumpkin and Bok Choy Stir Fry Traditional Cashew and Tomato & Preserved Bean Dips Inspired by Burmese street food, a live Hawker's Noodle Salad is also offered, tossed table-side from a selection of fresh ingredients and dressings, replicating the vibrant food stalls of Yangon. Desserts rooted in Thingyan traditions include the Banana Sanwin Makin (semolina banana pudding), Black Rice Custard, Sago Delight, and Tropical Jelly, reflecting the celebratory sweets shared during the New Year. The beverage menu complements the meal with festive drinks such as the Plum Sour, Basil & Ginger, and Musk Lemon, each blending native ingredients and refreshing flavours inspired by Burmese drinks. Burma Burma's Thingyan menu will be available from April 14 to May 11, 2025, across its locations in Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fears and hopes at collapsed Mandalay school
Rescuers clambered into the wreckage of the Wisdom Villa Private High School on the outskirts of Mandalay on Saturday until a jammed door blocked their passage. "Is there anybody inside?" they shouted. Dozens of people gathered outside hushed, straining to hear a cry, a voice, a whisper. But there were no sounds. The six-storey building was reduced to one and a half by Friday's earthquake, the lower floors pancaked into a tilted-over mass of concrete. Strands of steel rebar emerged from the broken shell of its top floor, twisted into the shape of tangled tree roots by the force of the 7.7-magnitude tremor. A giant teddy bear in a pink T-shirt lay face down in the rubble. At least seven people were trapped inside, locals said, including two teachers and several children. Seven others had died while two were extracted alive in the hours after the quake struck. Scores of family members and neighbours sat huddled on the ground, watching quietly, hoping for more good news. Yin Nu, whose 26-year-old daughter Yamin Shwe Zin was one of the teachers trapped inside, sat to one side. She had arrived on the evening of the quake. At one point, rescuers heard her call from inside: "I am teacher Yamin. I am alive inside. Please help me. I am thirsty." Her mother has been waiting ever since. "I couldn't sleep all night. I was saying if you're gone, at least show me your hand," she told AFP tearfully. "I was around the building like a crazy person. I could only call out my daughter's name and cry because I couldn't do anything." - 'Hard for me to accept' - The school in Paleik, on the outskirts of Myanmar's second-largest city, normally has around 200 pupils aged 12 to 15, but the term has finished and most had left. All of those in one of its two buildings escaped. But others were having a dance practice for the upcoming Water Festival, the traditional Myanmar new year, in a fifth-floor classroom when the quake struck and brought the structure down. Myanmar is regularly hit by calamities, on top of the civil war that has raged since the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government. "I ran away from the building," said teacher Kim Ma Zin, 35, who suffered a cut to her forehead. "It's a natural disaster," she added. "We can face this every year". Rescuers used pneumatic drills to break up concrete blocks to remove them, and a mechanical digger demolished a toilet block to make room for another vehicle to approach. There was little talk among the huddled watchers, and Yin Nu struggled to cling to hope that her English graduate daughter -- one of her four children -- had survived. "My son told me that it seems like his sister is not going to make it," she said. "It's hard for me to accept it -- she's my daughter." She could feel her presence, she said, clasping her hands and insisting her child would not leave her. "She is a very considerate daughter. Every time she goes to the temple or visits the pagoda, she always prays that she can be the daughter that can look after her parents." slb-hla/sst
