ANDAMAN Edition PHUKET’S LEADING NEWSPAPER... SINCE 1993 Now NATIONWIDE Luxury Living Special The villas, the cars, the bikes and the superyachts INSIDE TODAY April 5 - 11, 2014 PhuketGazette.Net In partnership with The Nation 25 Baht ‘CUTTING DOWN ON OUR NUMBERS IS THE ONLY SOLUTION’ Russian kidnap DNA tests to confirm body POLICE are waiting for DNA test results to confirm the identity of a decompos- ing body found in Cherng Talay that they suspect is that of missing Russian Alexey Slabinskiy. However, Phuket’s top On Guard cop is nearly certain that it is Mr Slabinskiy, as the shorts match those de- Lifeguard Club scribed by his girlfriend who was also abducted, but has since been recov- prepares to cut staff ered alive by police. with danger season Full story Page 3 Superintendent lurking on horizon removed over graft claims By Chutharat Plerin The Chalong Police Super- intendent has been THE Phuket Lifeguard Club (PLC) paying out of pocket transferred as the Public- to upgrade life-saving equipment will result in about sector Anti Corruption 20 per cent of the island’s lifeguards being laid off as Commission begins its in- Phuket enters its danger season at the beaches. vestigation into allegations PLC President Prathaiyut Chuayuan revealed the that Chalong Police offic- news this week as his organization considers whether ers extorted cash from the or not to renew its contract with the Phuket Provincial dive community. Administration Organization (PPAO). “We have yet to decide whether we will agree to the Full story Page 8 22-million-baht contract. If we renew it, I will have to cut staff by about 20 per cent,” he said. Lake filler to Last year, 928 people were saved by Phuket life- guards. However, despite lifeguards’ efforts, 23 died, halt or face according to PPAO Tourism Department statistics. “Already, one foreigner and one Thai national have legal action died this year; 41 people have been saved,” confirmed A DEVELOPER has been tourism officer Nararit Touyon. ordered to stop filling a pri- The layoffs, costing 20 lifeguards their jobs, would mary catchment for rain come despite a 10 per cent increase in government runoff, as the dust from the funding. earthmoving has become a The new contract provides 2mn baht more than last serious health hazard to years’ 10-month contract, set to expire on… Rassada residents. Continued on Page 9 Phuket lifeguards have rescued 41 people already this year, and rough seas are expected soon. Full stories Pages 4-5; 36-37 2 PHUKET GAZETTE PHUKET NEWS April 5 - 11, 2014 Kidnappers of 4-year-old Property intercepted at bus station A life full of leasure at By Woranut Pechdee Attitude Club’s Satur- QUICK action by a Phuket village days Condo Page 13 headman Tuesday night stopped a couple about to board a bus to Business Bangkok with a 4-year-old boy who had been abducted from his Silk Air celebrates 25 home in Koh Kaew. years of flying Phuket’s Worried parents of the boy, skies. Page 17 named by police only as “Nong Ice”, reported their son missing from their home in Koh Kaew Soi In Focus 10 at about 8pm after scouring the Phuket’s air pollution is neighborhood for him. “After the parents failed to find causing major health him, they went to Phuket’s main problems. Page 36-37 bus terminal with village headman Sangkom Sinthupradit and local village defence volunteers to see Food if he was there,” explained Phuket Celebirty chef’s Phuket City Police Superintendent Nong Ice (left) sits across from the couple who took him. Photo: PR Dept venture brings creativity Sermphan Sirikong. rest, and with the support of the “The couple were unemployed Members of the search party local villagers, escorted them to and asked for food. While at the to the table. Page 41 saw the accused – Thanawat Phuket City Police Station,” Col house, they befriended Nong Ice, Ouanain and Yupin Matratturat Sermphan said. saying they did not have children Health from Bangkok – sitting with the At the police station, the par- of their own,” Col Sermphan said. boy, waiting to board a bus. ents explained that Mr Thanawat Col Sermpan urged all parents Tasteless, scentless “The village headman moved in and Ms Yupin first came to their to beware of strangers with and highly toxic. The truth and placed the couple under ar- home about a week ago. their children. about roofies. Page 44 Sport Investigation of workers’ deaths begins WORKPLACE health and safety tives from the contractor and the Swimmers from around officials began an investigation municipality to establish pre- the region converge on this week into the deaths of four cisely what happened, Yudhakarn Thanyapura. Page 48 sewer maintenance workers who Ovasith, chief of the Phuket Pro- died in a Phuket Town sewer on vincial Labour Protection and March 26. Welfare Office, told the Gazette. Saijai Luesup, head of the in- “This is a big case. We will vestigation, told the Gazette on need assistance from the regional Wednesday that the Phuket Pro- office in Surat Thani. They have vincial Labour Protection and better qualified experts and the Welfare Office had asked rep- right equipment for carrying out resentatives from the workers’ The victims’ families. Photo: Gazette file the investigation,” he said. contractor, Eastern Thai Con- The four who died had been sulting 1992 Co Ltd, to present themselves on April tasked with maintenance of a sewer access point, 18 to give an official statement about the incident and they succumbed to unexpected hydrogen sul- and to present any relevant documents. fide fumes one by one, trying to rescue each other. Investigators will then interview the representa- – Irfarn Jamdukor Body of executed man found FISHERMEN on Tuesday discov- “There was a deep cut across ered the body of a man who had his neck that left him almost de- been executed floating near the capitated. There were also main fishing port in Rassada. wounds from a sharp object on “We believe the body is that of his chin,” Lt Ronnaphum said. a Myanmar national who worked Police questioned residents, but on a fishing boat. He likely got in none of them were able to make a a fight with other crew members, positive identification. was killed and then thrown over- “We will keep the case open and board,” said Lt Ronnaphum attempt to identify the body,” Lt Permpoon of Phuket City Police. Ronnaphum added. The man, who appeared to be Earlier this year, the body of in his 30s, was found floating face another violently assaulted man down with his hands tied together was found floating in the same area. with a shirt. – Kritsada Mueanhawong April 5 - 11, 2014 PHUKET NEWS PHUKET GAZETTE 3 Aussie ‘alcoholiday’ starts with custody on landing AN AUSTRALIAN tourist who passed out The nurse said that as Mr Boubis woke, he drunk during his flight to Phuket last Friday seemed dazed and confused. was carried off the plane still unconscious on “He even groped one of the female staff,” arrival and rushed to Thalang Hospital. she added. The man, named by police as Christopher Officers from the Thalang Police arrived Lazarus Boubis, 39, later regained conscious- soon after to take Mr Boubis into custody. ness in the emergency ward at the hospital, “The man’s flight landed at about 9pm [on but immediately went on a rampage through March 28]. We brought him to Thalang the facility. Police Station as soon as doctors said it Thieves in Russia withdrew 400,000 “He was shouting and verbally abusing was safe to do so,” Lt Chatree Chuwichian baht from Mr Sun's account. staff, scaring them, before he collapsed again explained. unconscious in an emergency treatment Mr Boubis was later released without fac- A startled nurse discovers Aussie tourist room,” one nurse reported. ing any charges. – Thawit Bilabdullar Mr Boubis on the floor at Thalang Hospital. Chinese tourist warns of ATM skimmer scam A CHINESE tourist in Phuket has DNA tests to confirm issued a warning of skimmer gangs after thieves in Russia with- drew 400,000 baht from his account. “On March 24, my bank called to ask me where I was, because body found is Alexey my account showed several with- drawals in Russia between March By Saran Mitrarat specially trained sniffer dogs from 22 and 24,” said Haohao Sun. Nakhon Sri Thammarat to search “At the time the 400,000 baht PHUKET’s top cop this week said the area. At 1pm [on Friday] I was taken out, I was in Phuket. I he is 80 per cent sure that a de- received a report that the body of don’t know how the money could composed body found in Cherng a foreign male had been found at have been withdrawn in Russia.” Talay last Saturday was that of a lagoon near the suspects’ rented Mr Sun said that the last time missing Russian Alexey house. he had withdrawn money was on Slabinskiy. “We believe the body is that of March 19 from a Siam Commer- The skull had been separated Mr Slabinskiy as the sniffer dogs cial Bank ATM at the Premium from the body and was no longer found the remains while search- Outlet Mall on the bypass road. identifiable, and so police are seek- ing the area using the scent from Mr Sun immediately notified ing to identify the remains with Mr Slabinskiy’s belongings,” Gen the Phuket City Police after being DNA tests and through dental Ong-art said on Saturday. contacted by his bank. The case records.