Latest news with #Yala
Free Malaysia Today
27-05-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Malaysian man found dead in hotel room in Yala, Thailand
Thai police said a post-mortem examination revealed that the cause of death was a heart attack. PETALING JAYA : A Malaysian man was found dead in a hotel room in Betong, Yala, Thailand yesterday. Betong police investigation chief Jakkarin Laksana said the 67-year-old man from Negeri Sembilan was believed to be on vacation in Betong, Bernama reported. He said hotel staff called police after they discovered the man lying face down in the room on Monday morning. 'A post-mortem examination revealed that the cause of death was a heart attack,' Jakkarin was quoted as saying. He said the victim's son arrived at Betong Hospital to identify and claim the body before arranging for it to be brought back to Malaysia. The Malaysian consulate office in Songkhla has confirmed that it is assisting the family to facilitate the repatriation process.
Malay Mail
27-05-2025
- Health
- Malay Mail
Negeri Sembilan man found dead in hotel room in Yala
YALA, May 27 — A Malaysian man was found dead in a hotel room in Betong, Yala, on Monday. Betong Police Investigation Chief, Maj. Col. Pol. Jakkarin Laksana, said the 67-year-old man from Negeri Sembilan was believed to be on vacation in Betong. He said the man's body was discovered lying face down in the room by hotel staff on Monday morning. Police rushed to the scene after receiving a call from the hotel staff at around 8:30 am, he added. 'Upon arrival, we found the victim lying face down beside the bed. 'A post-mortem examination revealed that the cause of death was a heart attack,' he said when contacted on Tuesday. Jakkarin said the victim's son arrived at Betong Hospital earlier in the day to identify and claim the body before it is brought back to Malaysia. Meanwhile, the Malaysian Consulate Office in Songkhla, when contacted, confirmed that it is assisting the family to facilitate the repatriation process. — Bernama
The Guardian
21-05-2025
- The Guardian
‘My parents were crazy wildlife people': meet the safari guide helping tourists experience Sri Lanka's wild side
More than 2,000 years ago, a large Buddhist community settled in the Yala region of Sri Lanka at the island's southern tip. Temples were built, water holes dug and big areas of forest cleared for grazing, creating a huge monastic complex, parts of which survive today. Hundreds of years later, when the community went into decline, it left behind a landscape ideal for herbivores such as water buffalo and spotted deer. And where herbivores thrive, carnivores follow. Today Yala national park, Sri Lanka's first nature reserve, hosts one of the densest populations of leopards on Earth. At dawn and dusk, they stalk wild boar and sambar deer, before pouncing at a breakneck sprint. Living alongside them are countless insect and bird species, plus 43 other types of mammal from mighty elephants and buffalos to jackals, crocodiles and the endangered sloth bear. There's a home for them all in the reserve's vast and biodiverse landscape, stretching from coastal dunes to monsoon forest. In all, Yala covers 1,300 sq kms (500 sq miles) and areas are increasingly being opened to visitors. Hilton Yala Resort Travellers keen to explore this beautiful place will be hard pressed to find a more knowledgable and enthusiastic guide than Sajith Withanage, head ranger at Hilton Yala Resort, a hotel wonderfully sited at the edge of the national park with stunning views of the Indian Ocean. Withanage credits his parents with instilling his love of Yala. 'They were crazy wildlife people,' he recalls. As a baby, he would be driven to see the park's colony of Sri Lankan elephants in his family's Austin A30 car. It is perhaps not surprising that he chose to study natural sciences, and was then offered a job at Sri Lanka's Department of Wildlife Conservation. 'But my dad said: 'Sajith, if you join the department you'll be happy, but you'll never get close to the animals while you're holding a fancy camera.'' So he followed his heart and headed to game parks in Africa to train as a professional guide, honing his understanding of safety, ethics and tracking through the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa. The reserve is sited on lands originally settled by a Buddhist community, and is home to a wide range of wildlife Today he and his team take guests from Hilton Yala Resort on day or half-day safari adventures to explore different areas of Yala, often heading off the beaten track in search of wildlife. 'Hilton Yala Resort commits to an ethical kind of Sri Lankan safari,' says Withanage, rather than racing around to spot species, telephoto lens in hand. 'That's not a wildlife experience.' 'In Yala you see how nature is a symbiosis of different species, landscapes and trees,' says Withanage Yala is divided into blocks to make it easier to manage. 'Block one is geographically stunning because it's right next to the coastal belt,' says Withanage. 'We have open grasslands, bush, dunes, then brackish inlets, freshwater lakes, waterholes.' A Noah's Ark of wildlife treads the diverse topography here. The park's 300 resident elephants shoulder through the undergrowth. Each one consumes up to 150kg of plants a day – about twice the weight of an average human. Watch out for reptiles – there are nearly 50 species including the Sri Lankan flying snake, which can glide down from the treetops, making serpentine swishes in mid-air. They're non-venomous but can still cause an almighty shock. Withanage will often pause with his groups at lakes dug out more than 2,000 years ago for the Buddhist monks. Here, from the safety of their safari truck, guests may see mugger crocodiles, camouflaged in the shallows, waiting to ambush grey langur monkeys. Leopards too are known to stalk prey that have stopped to drink. 'Safari-chic' in the hotel's rooms At dawn or dusk, Withanage and his Hilton ranger colleagues take guests into block six, the park's most recently opened section. Monsoon rains and varied wetlands make it Grand Central Terminal for almost 200 species of bird. These include the long-tailed Sri Lanka sharma, endemic to the country and known for its loud and vibrant song. The largest bird is the spot-billed pelican, which belly flops in on wings up to 2.5 metres wide, then scoops up fish, frogs and crustaceans in an enormous pinkish bill. 'In Yala you see how nature is a symbiosis of different species, landscapes and trees,' says Withanage. From the resort, guests can visit ancient Buddhist temples and authentic local villages For even more wildlife, the resort runs tours to Bundala national park, a wetland an hour's drive away that is a bird watcher's paradise and important winter sanctuary for migratory birds. The Hilton Yala Resort itself promotes a nature-first philosophy so that it and its guests live in harmony with their surroundings. Wastewater is recycled into the bio-pond that hosts birds and reptiles. Soap is re-processed then gifted to local communities. The hotel restaurant, Lanthaaruma, prides itself on serving locally caught yellowfin tuna in a fairytale beach setting, illuminated by storm lamps and sunsets. The 42 guest rooms feature safari-chic decor including ceiling fans and contemporary wildlife art. Guests can write their own jungle book by logging species, such as the langurs swinging through arjuna trees. And when it's time to relax in the hotel's serene setting, there's a pool featuring tree-dotted mini islands. Withanage and his colleagues know exactly where to find local wildlife such as langur monkeys With sustainability at the resort's core, ayurvedic toiletries are sourced from Sri Lanka's leading herbal supplier and the spa uses natural oils in treatments such as abhyanga, a traditional rhythmic massage said to rub away stagnant energy. If you can be tempted away from safari-ing, there are many other ways to deepen your experience of this part of the world. 'The resort is like an activity hub with so much to do,' says Withanage, mentioning dune hikes, bush walks, stargazing and visits to ancient Buddhist temples and authentic local villages. And not forgetting the magical coral reef a little way off shore … the protected Great Basses Reef shelters a shipwreck dating back to the Mughal empire, from which silver rupees and brass cannons were recovered in the 1960s. The wreck is guarded by green turtles and surgeonfish, all in dive-friendly shallows. 'You get a little bit of history, a little bit of nature,' says Withanage. Just like in his beloved Yala national park. Discover Southeast Asia and Hilton Yala Resort today
Malay Mail
18-05-2025
- Malay Mail
Double murder rocks Thai town bordering Malaysia
BANGKOK, May 18 — A 47-year-old man and his 46-year-old wife were gunned down outside their home in the southern Thai province of Yala last night. The attack happened around 7.30pm in Moo 2, Jakwa subdistrict in Yala's Raman district, The Bangkok Post reported today. Police were alerted by members of the village protection unit who heard the shots. When officers arrived, they found Buraeheng Silaru lying in a pool of blood in front of the house. His wife, Sitimaliya Abdulloh, was found dead near a water well close by. Police immediately cordoned off the scene and called in forensic and bomb disposal units from Yala Provincial Police Region 10. The bodies were sent to Raman Hospital for post-mortem examination. Investigators are still probing the motive, saying it could be linked to a personal dispute or the ongoing unrest in Thailand's southern border provinces. Authorities have not ruled out any angles in the double murder.
Malay Mail
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Thai teachers fear for safety, call for urgent protection in restive provinces bordering Malaysia
BANGKOK, May 13 — A surge in violence in southern Thailand, where educators and students remain at risk of being targeted, is prompting an urgent appeal from the Federation of Teachers Association of Thailand (FTT). The association wants the Thai government to take immediate steps to protect teachers and students in the conflict-riddled province of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat that border peninsular Malaysia, as well as in four districts of Songkhla, The Bangkok Post reported yesterday. 'The unrest has left teachers and students in the conflict-affected areas living in fear as they are being targeted in attacks that threaten not only their lives and property, but also their mental well-being,' Prathum Ruangrit, president of the Southern Teachers' Federation, was quoted as saying. He said the concern is especially serious with schools preparing to reopen soon. The organisation has outlined a list of measures it wants the government to implement quickly; including proactive security protocols, such as deploying security personnel to guard schools and patrol routes used by commuting teachers. The FTT also wants surveillance systems installed in and around schools in high-risk areas. It is also urging the government to set up emergency alert mechanisms at all schools. In addition, the group is asking for special budget allocations to support teacher welfare. This would include hazard pay, relocation assistance, and compensation for affected families. Prathum also proposed setting up village volunteer networks to detect threats and help schools stay connected to the community. He said trained psychologists should also be available to provide mental health support to those affected by violence. The call for action reflects growing anxiety in southern Thailand, where separatist conflict has continued for nearly two decades. The unrest stems from a long-running separatist insurgency by ethnic Malay Muslims in Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, driven by historical grievances over cultural suppression and political marginalisation by the Buddhist Thai state. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim are expected to hold a joint Cabinet meeting later this year at the Sadao-Bukit Kayu Hitam border area, to address issues of mutual interest and concern. In a post on her official X account last week, Paetongtarn said Thailand and Malaysia reaffirmed the importance of ending violence in Thailand's southern provinces and strengthening collaboration to jointly develop the border areas of both sides. Paetongtarn also said she will discuss the issues with Anwar when she attends the Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur later this month. Thailand is Malaysia's seventh-largest trading partner globally and the third-largest among Asean members, with trade valued at US$25.03 billion (RM114.56 billion), Malaysian news agency Bernama reported. Between January and February 2025, bilateral trade amounted to US$3.96 billion (RM17.65 billion), an increase from US$3.67 billion (RM16.80 billion) recorded during the same period in 2024.
