ANDAMAN Edition Volume 18 Issue 2 January 8 - 14, 2011 Daily news at www.phuketgazette.net 25 Baht Booze ban hits park tourists Teen stabbing sparks alcohol ban in national parks By Atchaa Khamlo derstand and have given us very Standard procedure is for staff good co-operation. The situation to ask people trying to bring alco- THE directors of several national is under control,” he said. hol into the park to leave it with parks in the Andaman region say Most of those warned about officers during their visit, he said. they have received good compli- drinking in the park were Thais, “We prefer to ask people for ance with the ban on alcohol in- but a few were foreigners. their co-operation rather than side parks that came into effect “As the park is quite expansive, threaten them with punishment. It on December 27. sometimes people might be drink- seems our public relations cam- Natural Resources and Envi- ing inside without our being aware paign is going well, as most people ronment Minister Suwit Khunkitti of it,” he added. just drink Coke or water,” he said. issued the ban immediately follow- Two signs declaring the park “Most foreigners understand ing the December 26 stabbing an alcohol prohibition zone are quite well. Not many of them drink murder of a student by a group of now being constructed and should whiskey, but some like to drink drunken schoolmates camping at go up at both entrances very soon, beer. But they don’t seem to have Khao Yai National Park in Surat along with a third sign to go up in any problem with alcohol being Thani. the middle of the park. unavailable inside the park and Nontawit Jaturabundit, chief of Under the law, offenders face they tend not to bring their own the Sirinat National Park in Mai a maximum fine of 1,000 baht or alcohol with them like Thais do,” Khao, said, “Some people are still a jail sentence of not longer than he said. bringing alcohol into the park at one month, or both. Signs in Thai declaring the park Bob shares the Love night. We keep asking them to not Chaitat Bunphuphantanti, direc- alcohol-free are posted at the na- MORE than 3,000 music fans flocked to Famous nightclub in Patong on bring alcohol and to refrain from tor of Khao Sok National Park in tional park office and at Wednesday to see French DJ Bob Sinclar – the man behind the drinking anywhere in the park, but Surat Thani, said, “We stopped Ratchaprapa Dam, he said. worldwide hits Love Generation and World, Hold on. we have yet to fine or prosecute selling alcohol about two years Phi Phi Islands National Park See our EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW on page 13 to find out why he likes anyone.” ago when the department issued chief Niroot Puttapong admitted seeing his bootleg CDs being sold in Phuket, what he has to say about “Many people were informed a new regulation and restricted that beer still finds its way into the his latest Grammy nomination and why French bread and cheese are a match made in heaven. Oh, and who he thinks is the hottest woman on of the regulation during the new people from bringing alcohol into park by speedboat. earth. Photo: Christian Mouchet year period. They all seem to un- the park on December 27.” Continued on page 2 Canadians killed in New Year horror smash A CANADIAN couple died in a pickup All six, including the driver, were initially Police awaited the arrival of Mr Huy’s truck bus (songtaew) smash just 15 min- treated at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket cousin from Canada to break the bad news utes into the new year. Town. about his daughter and son-in-law. All Mr They were the second and third road Miss Aryporn’s father, Huy Songsak, 82, Huy said in the aftermath of the crash was fatalities in Phuket for 2011. was badly injured. He was riding in the front that the driver suddenly swerved right, Lt Cherng Talay Police Duty Officer passenger seat. Tatchagrit said. Tatchagrit Ritnuang identified the victims The driver, Kwanchai Kanpai, 65, picked Mr Songsak, who speaks Thai, was as Aryporn Sunthorn, 50, and Kongseng up the group at the airport and was trans- born in Laos and emigrated to Canada, he Sunthorn, 61. Both were Canadian nation- porting them to their hotel when the added. als of ethnic Chinese descent. accident occurred. After the crash all victims were rushed Four others inside the vehicle at the time Mr Kwanchai might have been trying to to Thalang Hospital, then transferred to the sustained severe injuries in the crash, which overtake a vehicle when he was forced to ICU at Vachira Phuket Hospital, where Ms The pickup hit the utility pole dead center. happened on a curved, hilly section of Route veer off to avoid a head-on collision, Lt Aryporn and Mr Kongseng died before Photo: Wichai Wittawat 4025 near Bang Tao Shrine. Tatchagrit speculated. dawn on January 1. 2 PHUKET GAZETTE NEWS January 8 - 14, 2011 Tip-offs foil illegal Pirates of Patong 400k in pirated goods worker crackdown seized. Offenders are unperturbed. Page 4 By Janpen Upatising Home for the homeless RAIDS by the government task force commissioned to arrest all New shelter in Phuket Town helps illegal foreign workers throughout those in need get back on their southern Thailand, including Phuket, are being foiled by tip- feet. Page 7 offs, says the task force chief. Noppadon Ployyoudee, Chief of Film review the Phuket Provincial Employment Clint Eastwood’s latest Office, told the Gazette,“When we enter a province, they [illegal mi- film Hereafter redefines grant workers] are aware of us life after death. Page 12 and stop working. “They also help each other by A walk to remember spreading the news when we en- ter the province.” . Social missionary walks over “They were careful to avoid us 1,000km in 45 days to raise money and moved to another province instead,” he added. Migrant laborers stop work for a construction site raid in Phuket. to build a school. Page 14 Mr Noppodol heads the multi- agency team for southern Thailand “Our team was in Phuket once not have work permit,” he added. Shaping up set up under an order by PM for two days. We caught 10 for- “Both the employers and the The Yamu is back on Abhisit Vejjajiva. eign workers in Patong, most were workers are being prosecuted,” The task force began operations Burmese, but we we also arrested said Mr Noppadon. track with international on December 1 as part of a na- some Vietnamese and Nepalis. Although he maintained that any investors. Page 21 tionwide crackdown. So far the “We also caught 10 illegal work- foreigners found working illegally southern Thailand team has net- ers in a restaurant near Central will be arrested, the chief said Bur- Sport ted 10 employers and 200 illegal Festival Phuket. mese were his top priority. Local girl surfs up a workers. “We will arrest anyone who does See also First Person on page 9 storm in Hong Kong. Page 35 Rino makes a speedy recovery RINO Mangon Vogt, a 10-year- have seen in my life. I’m not say- old boy who had life-saving sur- ing this because he is my boy – gery late last year, is recovering he walked into the operation room Parks off-limits for booze well, the Phuket Gazette has without any fear,” he said. confirmed However, the road travelled From page 1 any problems at all with tourists Rino underwent corrective sur- since June 30 has brought many being mao. They have to sit in a gery for the rare congenital heart disappointments, Mr Newton said. “Most tourists visiting the na- boat for a long time to get here condition Ebstein’s anomaly on “I’ve lost quite a lot of friends tional park are foreigners. We have from Phuket. November 21. along the way. If you are truly in officially informed tour business “If they are already a bit sick However, when the external need, you soon learn who your operators by letter and asked them when they arrive, alcohol will only pacemaker was switched off days real friends are – and who are to stop bringing in alcohol aboard make them worse,” he said. later, young Rino fell asleep, indi- not,” he noted. boats. After, we seemed to get a All of these factors made it cating that his heart could not “But there a lot of great people good response,” he said. highly unlikely that drunken may- cope unassisted. around,” the appreciative father “People come to visit during hem of the kind that transpired at Quick action by benefactors added. “Thomas Gottschalk, a the day. It is not an overnight des- Khao Yai would ever take place at provided the funds needed to cover Rino is all smiles today. wedding planner in Phuket, imme- tination, so there aren’t problems the park, he said. the unforeseen cost of a second much better than expected… Rino diately donated 75,000 baht for with people getting drunk. “Some tour operators provide operation to install an internal has made a 90-per-cent recovery the second operation.” “But we keep telling people not beer with their clients’ meals to pacemaker. already,” Mr Newton beamed. Mr Gottschalk could easily to bring alcohol on shore,” he said. relax them, but they don’t want That operation went well and “Since June 30 it has been a share Ritchie’s anguish.