Ambassador’s Daughter Falls to her Death in NYC

Nicole John, the 17-year-old daughter of the American Ambassador to Thailand Eric John, fell to her death from the 25th story of a New York Apartment on Friday. Nicole John had completed high school in Bangkok this past year and was looking forward to beginning college in New York City when the accident occurred.

The accident happened at the apartment of 25 year-old iIlan Nassimi, who had thrown a party that night. Witnesses from across the street say they saw Nicole climb out of a 25th story window onto a ledge with a camera before falling. The witnesses called emergency services but there was nothing that could have been done to save the girl.

The New York City Medical examiners office released a statement ruling that the death was an accident and that Nicole had succumbed to massive blunt force trauma.

Investigators have now turned their attention to iIlan Nassimi, the owner of the apartment where the party was held. Nassimi was arrested on a misdemeanor charge the night of the incident for serving alcohol to minors, more charges could follow.

By all accounts Ambassador John and his family are very well liked and respected for the work he has done in Thailand since taking the post in 2007. My heartfelt condolences go out to the Ambassador and his family during this tragic time of loss.

Tiger Cub Denied Boarding Pass

Customs officials at Thailand’s Suvarnabumi airport probably see a very strange assortment of things as they scan luggage bound for departing flights but I don’t think they were quite prepared for what they found when they x-rayed what seemed to be a bag containing cuddly stuffed animals,  until one of them moved. Piyawan Palasarn, aged 30 and the owner of said bag, was about to board a flight from Bangkok to Tehran on Thursday when customs officials took her aside.

Exotic animals are very sought after in Iran as pets and can bring huge sums of cash to those willing to smuggle these animals out of the country. In many cases such as this a female is used and baggage is packed with stuffed animals as well to disguise the exotic animal being smuggled. It was surmised that Piyawan Palasarn would earn about 100,000 baht ($3000) for her role in the operation.

When confronted with the evidence against her Palasarn pleaded that she was innocent and that she didn’t even know what was in the bag that was handed to her by others she couldn’t name. Unfortunately for her CCTV camera’s are prevalent throughout the airport and she was captured on video arriving alone and remaining alone from check in to the boarding gates. She will be charged with several wildlife offences and could recieve up to 4 years in jail and a 40,000 baht fine.

A babies bottle with milk and some xanax were found next to the cub in the bag. The xanax was apparently used to try and tranquilize the cub during the flight as doctors found that the cub was force fed at least 10 xanax pills. While xanax would have lowered the metabolic rate of the animal the smugglers failed to realize one thing in their stupidity, that the x-ray machine would pick up a beating heart and other moving organs.

The cub is being cared for at the rescue centre of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation and is said to be doing well despite the smugglers efforts.