IN THIS ISSUE PLUS AV Front Eye December 29, 2007-January 4, 2008
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AV Front Eye Volume 14 Issue 52 News Desk - Tel: 076-236555December 29, 2007 - January 4, 2008 Daily news at www.phuketgazette.net 25 Baht The Gazette is published in association with Democrats cruise to IN THIS ISSUE NEWS: Ya bah bust; New Tesco store opens; Teddies victory in Phuket blessed. Pages 2 & 3 By Gazette Staff vance. Most were in Muang Dis- INSIDE STORY: Looking back trict (4,717 voters), followed by at the year just gone. PHUKET: On a day when over Thalang (1,068) and Kathu Pages 4 - 6 74% of registered voters in the (761). province made it to the polls, of- AROUND THE NATION: NLA There were no reports of passes security bill. Page 7 ficial results from the general spoiled ballots or illegal cam- election held on December 23 paigning near polling stations AROUND THE REGION: When saw Democrat Party candidates while the voting was underway, shophouses attack. Page 8 Rewat Areerob and Tossaporn said K. Supap. Thepabutr winning both of Nationwide, an unprec- AROUND THE SOUTH: Bur- mese workers killed in boat- Phuket’s two constituency MP edented turnout of 2.9 million ing tragedy. Page 9 seats by huge margins, despite a absentee and advance votes smear campaign. were cast. PEOPLE: Globetrotting couple K. Rewat told the Gazette, The turnout of absentee roll into Phuket. “I’m happy with the result be- voters exceeded 87.5%, amount- Pages 14 & 15 cause I have a lot of votes from ing to 1.83 million ballots. Some people, which means they believe 1.12 million voters cast advance LIFESTYLE: Local movers, in me. I will do my best for them. shakers and a ladyboy look ballots, EC member Prapun Now, I can’t say a lot because forward to 2008. Naigowit said. I’m not yet in the new govern- Pages 18 & 19 On the eve of the election, ment, which must be confirmed K. Tossaporn and K. Rewat MOTORING: Big car gets a with the national election office SECRET BALLOT: Phuket Provincial Administration Organization handed a petition to the Phuket relick. Page 22 first.” (OrBorJor) President and Democrat Party member Anchalee Vanich- Election Commission (PEC) Two-time constituency MP Thepabutra was among the first to cast a ballot at the Phuket City complaining that leaflets attack- SPORTS: Boxing; Provincial Chalermlak Kebsup will likely Games; Darts season finale; Police polling station on December 23. ing them had been distributed return to parliament as a party around the island. Pétanque; Patong soccer. list MP, as unconfirmed results only able to garner 15,220 and turnout in advance polling, with Pages 38 & 39 The pair handed the com- in party-list voting indicate, she 14,683 votes, respectively, to 25,956 voters from around the plaint and a copy of one of the PROPERTY: Construction: will be one of eight party list MPs come in fourth and fifth. country making their way to leaflets to PEC Director Supap Peace and harmony in Nai from the Democrat party to rep- In constituency voting Phuket Community Hall on De- after a visit to Phuket City Po- Harn; Home of the Week: A resent the southern region under 159,241 (74.3%) of Phuket’s cember 15 and 16 to cast absen- lice station, where they filed a family affair; Property Watch; the new proportional representa- 214,329 eligible voters exercised tee ballots in their home constitu- criminal complaint earlier that Gardening: Bert proves he’s tion [party list] system. their right, although nearly 10% encies. morning. not clitorially challenged. In district voting in Phuket, opted to tick the “No Vote” op- Phuket Election Commis- K. Supap accepted the Pages 41-46 official results confirmed by the tion. There were also 4,066 sion (PEC) Director Supap complaint, noting that the pair Phuket Election Committee (2.6%) spoiled ballots. Akkam told the Gazette that the would have to return later to PLUS showed K. Rewat as the top In Phuket party-list voting, turnout exceeded 85% of the complete more paperwork be- vote-getter with 93,004, followed the Democrats also won in a 30,394 out-of-town voters who fore the complaint could be for- AROUND THE ISLAND 10; GOOD by running-mate K. Tossaporn landslide with 122,038 votes. had registered to cast absentee warded to the Election Commis- LIVING 13; HAPPENINGS 16; with 87,905 votes. They were followed by People ballots in Phuket. sion (EC) in Bangkok, which is AMBROSIA 20; GRAY AREA 21; Somchart Somnam from Power (14,376) and Puea Pandin Advance voting took place authorized to suspend or ban WHAT’S ON 23; TAKE A B REAK the Chart Thai party came in a (2,870). at three polling stations, one in from political activity politicians 25 & 26; HOROSCOPES 29; distant third with 17,252 votes. Turnout for the party-list each district: the Kathu Army deemed to have violated elec- EDITORIAL, LETTERS 30; FIRST Despite a vigorous cam- voting was identical to that in the Petrol Depot in Kathu, the Tha- tion law. PERSON, ISSUES & ANSWERS 31; paign and support from the constituency voting at 74.3%, but lang Pranangsang School in Tha- K. Supap said that, if the BOOKS, WORD COURT 32; HIS- island’s Thai-language daily there were fewer No Votes cast lang and Phuket Municipality TORY: LOOKING B ACK 33; COM- identities of those behind the leaf- (6,035 cards or 3.8%) and more Meeting Hall PUTERS 34; BUSINESS AND newspaper Siangtai, Palang lets could be revealed, the per- MONEY 36 & 37; CLASSIFIEDS Prachachon (“People Power”) spoiled ballots (6,779 cards or A total of 6,546 voters, or petrators could face punishment 47-59. candidates Dr Sriyada Shina- 4.3%). 3% of all eligible voters, took the under election and criminal law, watra and Wisut Santikul were There was a strong voter opportunity to cast ballots in ad- depending on the EC’s ruling. 2 PHUKET GAZETTE NEWS December 29, 2007 - January 4, 2008 Cherng Talay Ya bah bust near Heroine’s Monument Tesco-Lotus By Natcha Yuttaworawit arrested and later confessed to the crime, Lt marat, and Pakamas Nakpeng, 33, from Anukul said. Prachuap Khiri Khan. opens amid THALANG: During a sting operation near Police seized the 400 ya bah pills, Although unfamiliar with the details of the Heroines’ Monument December 20, 243,900 baht in cash and Surachai’s Nissan the attempted murder case, Lt Anukul said Phuket Provincial Police special investigations Sunny sedan, Lt Anukul added. the suspects had been arrested in Thalang on controversy unit arrested a Thalang man for possession Surachai was taken to Phuket Provin- October 30 for possession and use of ya bah, of 400 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills with cial Court, where he was charged with pos- two pills of which were seized as evidence at session of a Class I narcotic with intent to the time. CHERNG TALAY: While local intent to sell. sell. The arrests in Phuket City followed the residents continue their fight Lt Anukul Nukate, of Thalang Police Earlier on December 20, Thalang Po- suspects being identified by an informant who against the opening of the “La- Station, explained to the Gazette that under- lice acting on a tip-off arrested two suspects knew there was a warrant for their arrest, he guna Tesco-Lotus Market cover police officers had arranged to meet in Phuket City for attempted murder in Kathu said. Cherng Talay”, the store opened Surachai Maimad, 29, at 3 pm on Srisoonthorn earlier this year. Although they denied any wrongdoing, just in time for last-minute Christ- Rd [Route 4025] to buy the pills for 60,000 Lt Anukul identified the pair as Jittiporn the pair were sent to Phuket Provincial Court mas shopping. baht. Sritongkaew, 26, from Nakhon Sri Tham- to answer the warrant, he said. The opening of the store is After completing the sale, Surachai was mired with controversy, with lo- cal residents and shopowners, led by Samarn Krohlek and Apisit Red Cross Ngarnpresertkit, having filed com- Phuket welcomes first plaints with Thalang District Chief Chaiwat Tapee and Phuket seeks Governor Niran Kalayanamit. K. Samarn and K. Apisit in Estonia charter flight donations September led a protest of some 50 locals outside the offices Cherng Talay Municipality, claim- By Janyaporn Morel for annual ing that the new store will destroy the livelihood of locals while in- MAI KHAO: The first charter charity fair creasing their cost of living. flight from Tallinn in the Repub- The protest followed an or- lic of Estonia to Phuket touched PHUKET CITY: The Phuket der – signed on July 27 by Samart down at Phuket International Air- chapter of the Red Cross Foun- Sagae, then-president of Cherng port on December 19. dation is in need of donations to Talay Tambon Administration At 8 pm, a group of 220 be sold during its annual fair, this Organization (OrBorTor) – for Finnish and Estonian tourists ar- year to be held at Saphan Hin construction of the store to stop. rived in Phuket aboard a Boeing from December 27 to January 7. On November 26, K. Sa- 757-200 operated by Air Finland. All money raised from sale marn and K. Apisit on behalf of The tourists were wel- of donated items will go to the Ju- the protesters filed a complaint comed by members of the local venile Observation and Protection with Thalang District Chief press, Phuket International Air- Center (JOPC) in Phuket to pay Chaiwat, claiming that the store port Deputy Director Yutthana for various activities and projects. violated a 2004 Ministry of Inte- Jitrob-aree and staff from Tour- Donations of items for the rior regulation stipulating that in- ism Authority of Thailand South- sale can be taken to the JOPC dividual supermarkets must cover ern Region 4 Office, including its on Rattanakosin 200 Pi Rd until a space between 300 square director, Suwalai Pinpradub.