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ANDAMAN Edition PHUKET’S LEADING NEWSPAPER... SINCE 1993 Now NATIONWIDE Shooting for transparency Human Rights Watch calls for inquest into alleged Rohingya killings INSIDE TODAY March 16 - 22, 2013 PhuketGazette.Net In partnership with The Nation 25 Baht GOVERNOR: ‘I SUPPORT THIS SERVICE; IT IS A PUBLIC NECESSITY’ Search for entangled manta ray A TEAM of marine res- cue workers stand at the ready in Singapore and New bus to run Bangkok if Phuket divers are able to find the manta ray spotted entangled in ropes near Koh Racha Noi earlier this month. island gauntlet Full story on Page 8 Foreign IT Battle lines being drawn team faces legal issues as only some taxi drivers SIX foreigners working illegally at a software cross over to support new development company in Rawai were netted in a Phuket Immigration airport-to-beaches buses raid on Monday. All members of the By Chutharat Plerin group were taken to Chalong Police station for further questioning. PHUKET Governor Maitri Inthusut has confirmed that he will approve the long-awaited bus service to start Full story on Page 2 serving tourists arriving at Phuket International Airport. The new bus service – to launch with six buses de- parting the airport to provide a “hop on, hop off” service Life’s work to the major tourist beaches down the west coast – has one final hurdle to clear: it must be approved at a provin- stolen from cial transportation committee meeting on Tuesday. “I will not be here for the meeting, so I will have Vice shutterbug Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada chair the meeting DANISH professional and confirm the launch date with the operator – and ap- photographer offers a prove the service,” Governor Maitri said. 100,000-baht reward for The governor said he had been assured the island’s information leading to taxi drivers, long known for their intolerance of any in- the recovery of his terference in their lucrative trade, will not be affected by MacBook Pro and hard the new bus service, to be called the Phuket Airport Bus drive containing 36 years Express. of processed images “This will not affect the taxi drivers. It is a different… from 170 countries. Continued on page 6 Hop on, hop off bus ready to roll between Phuket Airport and beaches. Photo: Chutharat Plerin Full story on Page 5 2 PHUKET GAZETTE PHUKET NEWS March 16 - 22, 2013 Illegal operators Business Six foreign IT workers nabbed for tapping keys The April 9 income tax PHUKET Immigration officers on return filing deadline is Monday raided a software design near. Page 11 office in Rawai, where they ar- rested six foreigners, half of them Russian, for working illegally. Health Phuket Immigration Investiga- Reducing stress will tor Chidchanok Sakornyen led the improve your overall raid, which saw his team of of- ficers enter the site at 12:30pm. well being. Page 36 “We found six foreigners work- ing as software and web design Tech consultants and operating a website. We questioned them and Competing with the asked to see their visas and work ‘Lion City’ in the race to permits,” he told the Gazette. 4G service. Page 38 “Marin Batura, the managing di- rector, 33, and Nikolay Evdokimov, the director, 32, both from Russia, Explore had the correct visas, and work ‘Blazing Baz’ decides to permits, but the workplace address cited in their work permits did not go crawling around Krabi match the place where they were on his bike. Page 40 found working,” Lt Col Chidchanok explained. Marina Efremova, the web de- Illegal IT team hits escape, but is still doing the work permit shuffle. Diving signer, 43, from Russia; Denys The long and short of a Kravchenko, the web coordinator, charged with hiring foreigners Phuket Immigration did not have short tale about longtail 30, from Ukraine; and two from without work permits,” he said. the authority to process the Belarus, Aleksandar Lyah, the fi- “Ms Efremova, Mr Kravchenko, charges and investigate this case boats. Page 42 nancial officer and Sergey Kazei, Mr Lyah and Mr Kazei were all by themselves. the programmer, 26, were all charged with working without Through negotiations between Sport found working without work per- work permits,” he added. immigration officers and the law- mits, Col Chidchanok added. All six suspects were taken to yer representing the foreigners, it A look ahead to the “Ms Batura and Mr Evdokimov Chalong Police Station to have the was agreed that reporters could upcoming Formula 1 were both charged with working charges against them recorded name the suspects but not the season. Page 47 at a place not listed in the work and for further questioning. Ac- company they were working for. permit. Ms Batura was also cording to Col Chidchanok, – Kritsada Mueanhawong Arboreal disaster strikes, crushes Police catch six children Dokset murder trucks in government parking lot trial postponed THE chief of the must deal with in Patong beggar bust for want of a Phuket Provincial their own insur- SIX children were part of a group Social Security ance companies as of Cambodian beggars rounded up court translator Office (PPSSO) we have no part in in Patong on March 8 as police THE murder trial of Stein Havard has denied any li- this,” he added. continue to crack down on beg- Dokset was due to continue on ability for a tree – Wilfried gars from abroad. March 8 but was postponed until believed by locals Widerschein nar- Police took six children into August 22 after it was discovered to be about 100 rowly escaped custody, aged between 5 months that no court translator was avail- years old – that fell being crushed by and 8 years, in addition to arrest- able. and crushed five the falling tree. ing six adults. None of the adults Mr Dokset, accused of murder- cars in the Social “I had just had a passport or work permit, ing his ex-girlfriend Rungnapa Security car park The tree was about 100 years old. parked my police said. Suktong and leaving her remains Tuesday morning. pickup and we “There are too many foreign in a trash bin for months, appeared A total of 12 people were caught. No injuries were reported in the had got out of the truck… we were beggars here, especially in Patong,” at Phuket Provincial Court at 9am. incident. able to run clear of the area just said Phuket Immigration Superin- and is being sought. After a six-hour wait, the judge “It was an accident; the tree was before the tree fell,” he said. tendent Sunchai Chokkajayki. An agent was paid 4,000 baht informed the court that an English- here before the building,” PPSSO The cab of his pickup was Though police caught 12 mem- per person to bring them to Thai translator was not available. Chief Phuma Thammakul said. crushed by the tree. bers of the group, the group’s Phuket, Col Sunchai explained. “We have had a heavy caseload “I would say the car owners – Kritsada Mueanhawong leader was not found at the house – Kritsada Mueanhawong and neglected to book a translator in advance. We tried to find one this afternoon, but could not,” the Aussies dive in to boost beach safety judge said. THE Phuket Lifeguard Club (PLC) The program is one of a se- “The case is postponed to Au- announced it has joined with the ries of initiatives from the new gust 22, at which time the case renowned Surf Life Saving Aus- Phuket Lifesaving Education investigators will be called in to tralia (SLSA) to develop world- Unit. The main objective is to give their statements in court class public education programs provide a sustainable program again,” he added. that aim to improve water safety with Thai people having owner- – Orawin Narabal and reduce the number of ship of the water safety drownings on Phuket’s beaches. initiatives. Last week, six senior lifeguard Phuket Lifesaving Education trainers from Phuket beaches and Unit project manager Jayne resorts worked with SLSA Com- MacDougall proposed the pro- munity Education Manager gram be developed to educate Anthony Bradstreet to adapt the school students about how to successful Australian Surf safety enjoy the ocean safely. An adult Program (“Surf Ed”) to local education program is also being Phuket conditions, the PLC ex- developed. plained in a press release. – Phuket Gazette Stein Havard Dokset March 16 - 22, 2013 PHUKET NEWS PHUKET GAZETTE 3 Rights group demands probe of alleged Rohingya shooting NEW YORK based Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a statement on March 13 calling for the Thai authorities to investigate reports of Royal Thai Navy sailors opening fire on a boatload of Rohingya off the Phang Nga coast, north of Phuket, allegedly killing at least two of the refugees. “Rohingya fleeing Burma Juggy was thrown from the motorbike and run over. should be given protection, not shot at,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Cement truck “The Thai government should urgently investigate why sailors strikes, crushes opened fire on boat people help- less in the sea and prosecute all 5-year-old boy those found responsible.” According to the press release, A CONCRETE mixing truck ran survivors of the incident told HRW over a 5-year-old Burmese boy in that on the morning of February Thalang on March 8. 20, Thai fishermen helped their The boy, “Juggy”, was on a drifting boat ashore on Surin Is- motorbike with his 35-year-old land off the coast of Phang Nga mother, Mrs Namprik, and his province. 3-year-old sister. On that same day, at about The truck, allegedly being driven 6:30pm, Thai navy patrol boat at a high speed toward a construc- TOR214 arrived at the island and A group of Rohingya boat people arrested at gunpoint by the Thai Royal Navy in 2007.