Volume 16 Issue 4 News Desk - Tel: 076-236555 January 24 - 30, 2009 Daily news at www.phuketgazette.net 25 Baht The Gazette is published in association with Tourist miraculously survives fall PATONG: A young Norwegian tourist fell from his eighth-story hotel room on Tuesday January INSIDE 20, miraculously surviving with only minor injuries. At about 8 am, Kathu Po- lice were informed that a foreign tourist had fallen from his room on the eighth floor of the Phuket Palace Hotel, at the south end of Patong on the road to Karon. Fearing the worst, Kathu Police Duty Officer Nitikorn Rawang and rescue workers Flying High from the Kusoldharm Foundation rushed to the scene. Saturday January 17 saw There they found 26-year- the first Phuket "Fly-in", old Norwegian tourist Hans Chris- celebrating the opening of tian Dalen lying on the ground. He the island's first private airport. Stunt pilots, was barely conscious but remark- balloons and kite-flying – it ably still very much alive. was all there. In fact, the young Norwe- Pages 16 & 17 gian might well have passed out LEFT: The eight-story drop that w ould almost surely have killed Norwegian tourist Hans Christian Dalen (top hours earlier from simple intoxi- right) had it not been for the tin roof of a shack (bottom right) breaking his fall. NEWS: Navy defends cation, as he had been up all night Dalen and his friend asked the his window was – like much of Phuket International Hospital, action against Rohingya drinking with some new friends three Thais to leave. Phuket these days – occupied by where he is now being treated for refugees; cabinet supports he met while out on the town in When they refused, a fight a ramshackle workers camp. some serious bruises and a lacer- new tourism initiatives; fake Patong, the center of Phuket’s broke out and one of the ladyboys Mr Dalen landed with a ated left hand that required stitches. goods campaign hits vibrant nightlife scene. hit Mr Dalen in the face before crash onto its corrugated zinc “I fell because I was airports. Mr Dalen told the Gazette running away, he said. roof, then fell to the ground. drunk. I’m very lucky not only to Pages 2 & 3 from his bed at Phuket Interna- Undeterred, the two Scan- Remarkably, the zinc roof- be alive but to have escaped with PEOPLE: DJ Krafty Kuts tional Hospital that he and a dinavians continued their drinking ing sufficiently broke his fall and only minor injuries,” he said. and Dynamite MC wowed friend, also Norwegian, had that session right through dawn. Stand- he did not break his back or go “The doctor told me I could Club Lime – and spoke to night befriended three Thai ing out in the morning light, Mr into a coma – as incorrectly re- leave on Wednesday (Jan 21). I’ll the Gazette. women – two of them ladyboys Dalen suddenly lost his footing and ported in one lurid and highly in- return to the same hotel, Phuket – and invited them back to his fell off the room’s small balcony. accurate account of the accident Palace, until I go back to my Page 12 room for a nightcap. By sheer luck or divine in the Thai-language media. country on January 25,” he told GOOD LIVING: The After a few hours, Mr providence, the area right below Mr Dalen was rushed to the Gazette. -Atchaa Khamlo Chedi Hotel's Sontaya Kaewpradit shares the recipe for his signature dish, Owner of Farang Restaurant cajun swordfish. Page 18 chain slain by bike assassin AROUND THE NATION 6; PHUKET CITY: The owner of tional, known to his friends as AROUND THE S OUTH 7; AROUND the Phuket-based Farang Restau- “Tik”, was shot at close range by THE REGION 8; AROUND THE IS- rant chain, Chit Raknanga, was a man who had arrived at the LAND 10; PEOPLE 13; HAP- shot dead as he dined at one of restaurant on the back of a mo- PENINGS 14; WHAT'S O N 19; his own restaurants with friends torcycle. BUSINESS & MONEY 20; TAKE on January 16. According to an eyewit- A BREAK 21 & 22; HORO- Gazette Police say it will probably ness who spoke to the , Farang Restaurant, situated opposite Index on the bypass road. SCOPES, CARTWRIGHT 23; take a few weeks of investiga- the killer walked into the restau- EDITORIAL & LETTERS 24; tion before they know if they will rant at about 9:30 pm and shot while his friend, 37-year-old en- the restaurant at the time of the FIRST P ERSON, I&A 25; THE be able to identify and arrest the the victim three times: once in the gineer Supaht Chaiyodong, suf- murder. Phuket City Police ar- GRAY AREA 26; TECHNOLOGY gunman responsible for the mur- head and twice in the body. He fered gunshot wounds and was rived at the scene approximately 27; SPORTS 29; PROPERTY: der. then fled on the motorcycle, rushed to hospital. 20 minutes later, according to the 30 - 34; CLASSIFIEDS 35- The 36 year-old victim, a driven by an accomplice. Less than 10 people were witness. 48. successful and popular Thai na- Tik was killed instantly, reported to have been dining in Continued on page 2. Jan 24 09 pp01.pmd 1 21/1/2552, 22:35 2 PHUKET GAZETTE NEWS January 24 - 30, 2009 From page 1 Navy defends action against refugees The victim was sitting at a table with two friends when the murder occurred, police said. PHANG NGA / PHUKET: In “We have today asked the Thai The victim’s brother Chart, response to allegations regarding government for access to two also in the restaurant at the time the mistreatment of illegal foreign groups totaling 126 Rohingya boat of the shooting, told the Gazette nationals trying to gain entry into people who are in custody in that Tik’s body, accompanied by Thailand, officials from the Third southern Thailand in order to as- his wife Tien, has now been flown Area Naval Command Supreme sess their situation and determine to his home in Ubon Ratchathani Headquarters in Phang Nga de- whether any of them are in need for cremation. Arrangements fended the actions of the Thai of international protection,” would also be made for merit- Navy on Sunday January 11. UNHCR spokesman Ron making ceremonies here in Songkitti Jakabat, Chief of Redmond said. Phuket, he said. Staff at the Phang Nga headquar- “This follows our expression A high-level source in the ters, told the Gazette that those of strong concern to the govern- Phuket Provincial Police told the attempting to gain unlawful entry ment last week over allegations Gazette that investigators were are naturally prohibited from do- that large groups of Rohingya not yet sure of the motive for the ing so and are then the responsi- boat people from Myanmar killing and were following several bility of border officials. [Burma] were intercepted in lines of inquiry, including the pos- “Once the refugees are in Thai waters, towed out to sea and sibility of personal and business- Thailand, it is our duty to detain left to die. related conflicts. Given the them in order to question them “According to information modus operandi of the shooting, before they are sent back to their from our sources, a group of 80 the killer is presumed to have country,” he said. Rohingya boat people are being been a hired assassin. “It’s difficult to prevent held on Koh Sai Daeng off the Police say physical evi- them from coming across as there Thai coast in the Andaman Sea. dence, including a .38 caliber bul- are a number of back door en- A further 46 Rohingya who let slug recovered at the scene, tries into the country. Normally were intercepted on a boat last should aid the investigation. we get information from the me- Friday were reportedly handed One local Thai-language dia about people trying to enter over to Thai military authorities, newspaper reported that Phuket the country. It’s very helpful if and we are trying to determine City Police Inspector for Investi- and when we receive advance where they are now. Admiral Songkitti Jakabat, Chief of Staff: Once the refugees are in gations Wichak “The Magnet” warning,” he added. “Given the new Thai Thailand, it is our duty to detain them in order to question them Tarom had been assigned to the While inquiries continue into government’s commitment to hu- before they are sent back to their country.” case and had gone to Phang Nga claims that Rohingya refugees man rights, we are eager to dis- to follow up on a number of were pushed out to sea or mis- cuss with Foreign Minister Kasit “Some reports suggested state in Myanmar [Burma]. leads. treated by Thai authorities, Prime Piromya ways that this crisis can the boat people arrived in a boat There are 28,000 Rohingya rec- However, on January 20 Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said be defused quickly in line with with no engine and tried to sink ognized refugees in two Phuket City Police Deputy Super- yesterday that the Thai Navy did international humanitarian stan- the boat to get on our shore,” UNHCR camps in Bangladesh intendent Chaiwat Ooykham ad- not undertake any action that dards. Abhisit said. and some 200,000 unregistered mitted that there had not been abused the boat people’s rights. We have stressed that the But the government would Rohingya living outside the much progress in the investiga- “The military, as far as I Thai government should take all not allow illegal migrants into camps there.