August 13, 2016
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PhuketGazette.net PHUKET’S LEADING NEWSPAPER... SINCE 1993 PhuketGazette August 13 - 19, 2016 Now inside THE NAT I ON every Saturday 56 Pages / 20 Baht WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF OBSERVERS WERE NOT THERE? ‘ ’ List alleges extortion of migrants A LIST, circulated on social media, accuses Provincial, Tourist, Immigration, Border, Patong and Phuket City Po- lice officials of extorting mi- grant workers as the Employ- ment Office wraps up work- ers’ registrations. Province leads Full Story Page 4 the south in support BUSINESS of draft constitution By Gazette reporters MORE than half of Phuket’s eligible vot- ers turned out to cast their ballots in the August 7 draft constitution referendum, Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipaya- pongtada told the Gazette this week. The Pokemon Go craze Almost 90 per cent of last Sunday’s teaches a valuable market- 150,326 voters in the province voted to ing lesson. accept the proposed draft constitution, the Page 11 highest percentage out of any province south of the Isthmus of Kra. PROPERTY Provincial Election Commission offi- cials said they had hoped for an 80 per cent turnout at the polls, but Gov Chamroen said that rain and heavy traffic may have pre- vented some from making it to the province’s 370 polling stations. The governor cast his own vote on Sun- day at the Phuket City Municipal Hall polling station. Gov Chamroen speaks with reporters after voting at Phuket City Municipal Hall polling station, Phuket Marriott Resort & “A total of 150,326 (54 per cent) of the while voters cast their ballots behind him at Sapan Hin Sports Complex. Photo: Phuket PR Spa, Nai Yang Beach gets province’s 274,407 eligible voters turned revamped. out to vote on August 7,” he said in a state- the day after the vote, 118,969 (85 per cent) According to the Election Commission, Page 19 ment prepared by the Phuket Provincial of local voters said ‘yes' to the Senate be- as many as 15.5 million (61.4 per cent of Public Relations Office. “Out of that, ing involved in the selection of the Prime total voters) approved the draft charter, LIFE&STYLE 125,643 (88 per cent) voted ‘yes’ for the Minister; 20,022 (14 per cent) voted ‘no’. while 9.7 million (38.6 per cent) voted draft charter and 17,801 (nearly 12 per A total of 3,181 (2 per cent) of the ballots against it. Thailand’s Northeastern prov- cent) voted ‘no’.” were voided. inces, which comprise the red-shirt Voters in Phuket also overwhelmingly Leaders within the NCPO have stated stronghold of Isarn, was the only region approved a second ballot question that that they expect the draft constitution to carried by ‘no’ votes. would allow senators to join parliamentar- be ratified within 30 days of the vote. On Sunday evening, the leadership of ians in selecting the country’s Prime Phuket’s seemingly wide-spread support the opposition Pheu Thai Party, acknowl- Minister. According to the now-passed for the referendum echoed voting results edged defeat, stating that the vote for the draft constitution, the ruling National around the country. At press time, the Cen- referendum was indicative of a clear de- Council for Public Order (NCPO) would tral Election Commission had counted 94 sire on behalf of the majority of Thais to Miss World Australia 2016 be allowed to appoint 250 seats in per cent of ballots cast, with initial turn- return to the democratic process. speaks to the Gazette on her Thailand’s 500-seat parliament. outs across the country projected at 58 per visit to Phuket. According to official figures released cent of all eligible voters. Continued on Page 4 Page 24 2 PHUKET GAZETTE August 13 - 19, 2016 Jungceylon re- Truck flip scatters shrimp opens after inspection fixes JUNGCEYLON shopping mall in Patong was given permission Teens threaten on August 3 to reopen a sec- tion of the complex that had riders with gun been closed to make repairs to TWO men filed a complaint crumbling columns discovered against two unidentified teen- in June. agers who allegedly threatened After an inspection on August them with a gun in Cherng 3, Phuket Governor Chamroen Talay on the night of August 4. Tipayapongtada announced that Satja Kongrat, 20, and the mall had followed all of Ekkachai Chaidam, 19, were Patong Municipality’s recom- both riding on a bike on mendations and could now be Srisoonthorn Road, heading to reopened. Bangtao, when the incident Patong Mayor Chalermluck occurred. Kebsup said Jungceylon will Cherng Talay police re- continue reporting to Patong ported that Mr Satja and Mr Municipality. Ekkachai said they arrived at – Chutharat Plerin Cherng Talay fresh market at about 6pm when two men dressed in black, both about 17- 19 years of age, started riding Five Chinese their bike really close to them. Mr Satja said he asked the tourists rescued teenagers why they were star- FOUR Chinese tourists aboard ing at them, when one of the a sinking longtail boat were res- teenagers took out a gun and cued from Phang Nga Bay on told them to stop. A pick-up truck loaded with fresh shrimp flipped over in front of the Agricultural and Development Office on its way into Krabi Town, spilling its cargo all over the road on August 3. Rescue workers said that the the evening of August 3. The two then sped away, driver and passenger survived the accident with barely a scratch between them. A rescuer stated that The Nateesup was on its straight to the police station. locals helping to retrieve crustaceans were thanked with handfuls of shrimp in return. Photo: Winai Sarot way from Koh Ngai to Koh – Winai Sarot Lanta with two women, a man est at Mu Ko Phi Phi National The pile of trash comprised distress. and a child on board. They Park, may actually get a re- about 10 tonnes of construction Mr Teerawat said that the were navigating through heavy sponse from officers in charge debris, wires, broken toilets, tourist went into the water surf when the captain noticed Illegal dumping of the area, after outrage over mirrors, wheels, as well as vari- around 11am with his life that the boat’s hull had cracked repeated illegal trash-dumping ous other items including the jacket on. Shortly thereafter, and that sea water was flow- garners outrage incidents spread across social head of a mannequin. Mr Tang had cried out for help ing in faster than they could LOCALS and tourists com- media during the week of Au- Locals took to Facebook, before he was retrieved uncon- pump it out. plaining about a mangrove for- gust 6. stating that the trash threatened scious. Several boats responded to the natural ecosystem of the Mr Teerawat said crew- the Nateesup’s distress call, res- area, including hundreds of members attempted to re- cuing the tourists and the boat’s monkeys that live in the forest. suscitate Mr Tang before he captain. Park chief Sarayuth Tanth- was transferred to Phi Phi Hos- In a separate incident, an- ien, after seeing the post, pital, where he died. other Chinese tourist was dispatched officers to clear out – Winai Sarot rescued after being dragged out the trash. to sea from Kata Beach in “It will take some time to Phuket on the morning of the take care of the trash,” said Mr same day. Lifeguards rescued Sarayuth. Phuket Town the man, who was swimming in “We will not just do a clean a red flag zone in heavy surf. up this time. We will find the serial robber – Kritsada Mueanhawong people responsible, so that le- gal action can be taken against apprehended them,” warned Mr Sarayuth. PHUKET City police re- – Kritsada Mueanhawong ported on August 3 that they Man run over believe they have caught the man responsible for a wave of before family robberies across Phuket A FATHER of two on holiday Elderly tourist Town. with his family was run over Jakkarin Seesong, 27, re- and killed in front of his wife dies swimming portedly could not remember and children while crossing AN ELDERLY tourist is dead how many robberies he had Thepkassattri Road during a after reportedly suffering health committed in the past month, stop-off to shop at 7-Eleven on complications while swimming but confessed to police that it the night of August 9. off of Koh Phi Phi on August 8. was “at least 10.” The 54-year-old man, iden- Krabi tourist police reported Mr Jakkarin was charged tified as Shengbin Lu, was part that 67-year-old Hongzhu with robbery using a vehicle, of a group of Chinese tourists Tang, a Chinese national, was which carries a sentence of up on their way to Phuket Airport swimming with a life vest on to five years imprisonment and to fly home after being picked Loh Mu Di Beach at 1pm, a 10,000 baht fine. up from their hotel in Patong. when he reportedly cried out in – Kritsada Mueanhawong – Winai Sarot August 13 - 19, 2016 PHUKET GAZETTE 3 Axe-wielding Imam chases down, runs motorbike thieves caught PHUKET City Police on the over drive-by shooters night of August 6 captured rob- bers who stole a bag from a A MUSLIM cleric was injured Slovakian tourist at Phuket in a drive-by shooting in Koh Downtown Fresh Market the Kaew on the night of August night before. 4, after which he attempted to Riding a motorbike, the rob- chase down his attackers, seri- bers snatched a bag from ously injuring both. Domonkoso Vaniko, 28, after Weerachat Kahapana, 49, an pulling up beside her.