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ANDAMAN Edition PHUKET’S LEADING NEWSPAPER... SINCE 1993 Now NATIONWIDE Vespas in Phuket An Italian classic is reborn and takes hold of a new generation INSIDE TODAY June 23 - 29, 2012 PhuketGazette.Net In partnership with The Nation 25 Baht ‘THEY PROBABLY DIRECTLY INGESTED A POISON FROM SEAFOOD, MUSHROOMS OR EVEN CHEMICALS’ Canadian sisters dead on Phi Phi after ‘poisoning’ Police searching for man seen Gloving up for turtles on CCTV footage carrying the women into their hotel room By Kritsada Mueanhawong AUTHORITIES in Krabi suspect food poisoning as the most likely cause of death of Canadian sisters Noemi and Audrey Belanger, whose bodies were discovered on June 15 by a maid at a resort on Phi Phi Island. Krabi Provincial Police Commander Chamroon Ruenrom, who inspected the sisters’ shared hotel room at the Phi Phi Palm Resi- dence resort, said there were no signs of foul play. “I went to the investigation scene myself. There were no signs of violence and their belongings were there in the room. We be- lieve food poisoning is the cause of death, but we have yet to A WORLD Boxing Organization title fight will take identify what kind of food [the women ate],” said Gen Chamroon. place at Nai Yang Beach next month to raise funds for sea turtle preservation projects in Phuket and “We recovered more than 20 different medicines from the room, other provinces along the Andaman coast. which will be kept as evidence,” he added. The bodies of the sisters, both in their 20s, were initially sent to Full story on Page 6 the Institute of Forensic Medicine (IFM) at Police General Hospi- tal in Bangkok for postmortem examination. IFM Commander Somboon Tantrakul said the bodies were to Student tragedy sends be transferred at the request of the Canadian Embassy to the Ramathibodi Hospital, a government teaching hospital in Bangkok. shockwaves worldwide Krabi Governor Prasit Osathanont on Monday morning held a The tragic news of the drowning of an American meeting to discuss the implications of the incident. Among the exchange student in the waters off Patong Beach attendees were Krabi Police Commander Chamroon and Krabi last week has sent ripples through media agencies Hospital Director Komgrip Phukrittayakamee. around the world. The death of Joshua Shane is Gov Prasit stated that the incident was extremely sensitive; another reminder of the need for tourists to be edu- Krabi’s tourist industry would suffer if false reporting were to cated about the dangers of the rip currents that flow spread, he said. Out on bail after false rape away from Phuket’s beaches. Continued on Page 2 allegation. Full story on page 3 Full story on Page 5 2 PHUKET GAZETTE PHUKET NEWS June 23 - 29, 2012 Aussie on bail after Technology Live wire: Make your false report of rape Windows legal or pay the price. Page 14 AUSTRALIAN Stevie Rochelle Bamford was convicted and sen- tenced for perverting the course Health of justice after falsely reporting Mosquitoes suck: A being raped in Patong on June 10. Phuket dengue fever Sentenced to a 15-day custodial sentence, Ms Bamford was granted update. Page 16 bail and won the right to appeal the sentence. Food According to the court report, Ms Bamford was sentenced to Dewa offers a romantic one month in prison, but given her Friday for meat lovers age and that she had confessed, and lovers. Page 18 the sentence was halved. Bail was set at 40,000 baht. In her report to Patong Police, Education 21-year-old Ms Bamford claimed How to choose the she was attacked by three men while taking a tuk-tuk back to her school that’s right for hotel at about 2am. your children. Page 21 However, CCTV footage taken at the end of Soi Bangla shows Ms Bamford leaving the area on a Property motorbike taxi at about 3am on Ms Bamford confessed to lying to police after staying out late in Patong Sansiri launch their Sunday, June 10. and then arguing with her boyfriend. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong fourth condominium “The Australian confessed to Ms Bamford to her room was had already damaged Phuket’s the police that she had lied about questioned by Patong Police. tourism image. project. Page 29 being raped,” Patong Police Su- He explained that he escorted Meanwhile, Ms Bamford is at perintendent Sermphan Sirikong her to her room so she could get liberty and staying in Phuket Sport told the Gazette. money to pay him. While she got awaiting the Appeals Court ruling. “Her motive is unclear but it the money, he noticed that bro- Phuket Immigration is prepar- Boxing: In the fight of appears she and her boyfriend had ken items were scattered around ing documentation required to the century it’s the sport an argument that night,” Col the room. deport the young Aussie if the rul- that loses. Page 47 Sermphan said. Col Sermphan expressed his ing is upheld. The motorbike driver who took concern that this “false report” – Atchaa Khamlo Runaway school girl ‘Nong Fah’ Policeman caught in the ‘line of ire’ A CHALONG policeman is recov- ing in the direction of the entrance. not home yet but safe and well ering in Vachira Phuket Hospital Sgt Maj Nikom, who was stand- Nuengruthai Suansan the mother band and I are so relieved that after being shot last Tuesday ing there, was hit,” said Col of the missing daughter Mullika Nong Fah finally contacted us af- morning at a live music bar near Boonlert. “Nong Fah” Suansan told the Ga- ter hearing the news of her Chalong Circle. Police are search- The five men then got into a zette on Wednesday that her daugh- disappearance. She said she is safe ing for four suspects still at large. car and headed off toward Karon. ter had finally made contact. with a girlfriend in another prov- The victim, Snr Sgt Maj Nikom When police came across the Nong Fah, who disappeared on ince, but she did not say where.” Jeenyuen, received shotgun car in Karon it contained only one June 8, was last seen on CCTV “She has not yet said when she wounds to the neck, chest, stom- suspect, 28-year-old Suppanet getting off the bus at Muslim will come back home. We’ll let her ach and arm. He was rushed to Entrance to Saraphanpleng, where Sukkaew of Surat Thani. He was Wittaya Phuket School in Koh decide that. At least now I know Bangkok Hospital Phuket for the shooting took place. promptly arrested. Kaew. She failed to show up for she is safe,” she said. emergency treatment. came angry when the band re- Police are searching for the oth- classes and was not seen again. Mr Somsak describes his Following removal of the shot- fused to play a song they ers, one of whom they have Somsak Suansan, Nong Fah’s daughter as a quiet girl who en- gun pellets, Sgt Maj Nikom was requested. named as Wutthichai Songsri, 33, father said, “At 9am a teacher joys reading. transferred to Vachira Hospital. Lt Col Boonlert Onklang of from Trang. He is currently on called us and told us she didn’t “She never slept over anywhere The shooting occurred at the Chalong Police said the group then bail pending a murder investiga- turn up for her first class. We else. When she came home, she Saraphanpleng Bar, a live music went to their car and returned with tion in that province. were worried about her and feared usually did her homework and venue on Patak Road, about 300 firearms, the exact number and Police have charged Mr she might have been kidnapped.” read books. She never went out, meters from Chalong Circle. types of which are unknown. Suppanet and Mr Wutthichai with After receiving the phone call except when going with us.” Witnesses said that at about “They pointed their weapons attempted murder. Mrs Nuengruthai said, “My hus- – Chutharat Plerin 1:45am, a group of five men be- into the air and fired before shoot- – Atchaa Khamlo June 23 - 29, 2012 PHUKET NEWS PHUKET GAZETTE 3 Phuket City top cop transferred ‘Ocean View 16’ to face charges in graft probe THE Public Sector Anti-Corrup- tion Commission (PACC) will rec- ommend that legal charges be pressed against 16 current and former Phuket officials, all alleged to have conspired to encroach on state forest land high in the Ka- mala Hills north of Patong Beach. PACC Secretary-General Patong Police chief Col Sermphan Sirikong has been named as Col Dusadee Arayawuth on Monday Chote’s replacement. led his team and members of the media to the disputed site, which PHUKET City Police Superinten- covers over 200 rai. dent Chote Chitchai has been Parts of the expanse afford transferred to Takua Thung Po- impressive views overlooking lice Station in Phang Nga prov- Patong Bay to the south, but the ince, just north of Phuket. area is accessible only by a dirt The transfer comes after Col road that runs off the main road Chote was temporarily suspended to Kathu Waterfall, in Kathu. from duty on May 5 following al- At the entrance to the site, the legations of underage staff PACC team pointed out a wooden working in Phuket Town clubs welcome sign heralding their ar- and entertainment venues. rival at what apparently was Phuket City Police Acting Su- intended to become the “Honey perintendent Sakchai Limcharoen Green View Resort”. also confirmed to the Gazette on Nearby they noticed a large, June 15 that Col Sermphan unoccupied house still under con- Some of the land offers breath-taking views of Patong Bay.