June 18, 2016
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PhuketGazette.net PHUKET’S LEADING NEWSPAPER... SINCE 1993 PhuketGazette June 18 - 24, 2016 Now inside THE NAT I ON every Saturday 56 Pages / 20 Baht Bay Boat collision kills two tourists, twenty injured TWO speedboats collided in Phang Nga Bay on June 8. Both drug tests on the boat operators’ have come up negative. Heavy rains were blamed for the collision that 70th anniversary killed two tourists and in- of HM King’s reign jured about twenty. marks return of Surin Story on Page 3 Beach to the public BUSINESS By Kongleaphy Keam MORE than 5,000 people, including gov- ernment and military officials, as well as yellow-clad locals, poured onto Surin Beach for its grand reopening on the 70th anniversary of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s coronation on June 9. The beach’s reopening comes after the Social media forums are April demolitions of private structures, the next big thing in busi- operating on public land. ness marketing strategy. The renovated beach and surrounding land was renamed as ‘Rajabhakti Park’, in honor of His Majesty. Region 4 Army PROPERTY Deputy Commander Kunnawut Morkaew headed the ceremonies after being invited by provincial officials. The ceremonies got underway at 7am, with provincial officials giving alms to Buddhist monks. Christian, Muslim, Sikh and Hindu blessings for the beach and His Majesty the King were conducted by the island’s religious leaders. Let’s discuss who buys Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipaya- what and where – the prop- pongtada also used the beach opening to erty drivers on the island. announce the launch of 12 ‘Love the Beach Community’ projects, which partner local communities with beaches in an attempt LIFE&STYLE to keep them clean and safe. The festivities included a photo con- test and exhibition, under the theme ‘royal duties in modern-day and historical Phuket’; a Phuket gastronomy food con- Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada used the beach opening to announce test; an exhibit and information booth the launch of 12 ‘Love the Beach Community’ projects. Photo: Phuket PR about sailboats, traditional local sports and cultural performances. Participants “Today, we can witness the great efforts den dedicated to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit; also released turtles into the sea and of the Phuket officers who’ve worked on an exhibit showing projects initiated by His planted trees. beach management.” Majesty the King in 76 provinces; a sail- Phuket’s cycling infrastruc- “It is our great pleasure to honor His Officials have announced plans to spend boat museum; a golf course… ture could be modelled Majesty and the natural wonders of Surin 60 million baht on improvements to the along the lines of Brisbane’s. Beach today,” said Maj Gen Kunnawut. beach, including planting a botanical gar- Continued on Page 4 2 PHUKET GAZETTE June 18 - 24, 2016 Russian father Crane collapse kills nearly drowns 5-year-old son PATONG Beach lifeguards Man murders saved the life of a 5-year-old one, injures three Russian boy, who nearly drowned while being taught to girlfriend’s ex swim by his father on June 7. ONE man is dead after being Passersby reportedly ap- found by his lover’s boyfriend at proached the boy’s father and the Irawadee condo in Kathu. tried to warn him against hold- “We found the body of ing his son’s head under water, Metha Kaowadee, 36, with in what appeared to be an at- three stab wounds and head in- tempt to teach his son how to juries,” said Lt Sawanya hold his breath. Eiattrong of Kathu Police. A lifeguard said the man Wachaya Thepsing, 29, re- later ran up the beach carrying ported to police that Mr Metha, his unconscious son, seeking her ex-boyfriend, visited her help from the lifeguards who room on June 14, when her cur- resuscitated the boy. rent boyfriend, Suriya Krua- – Pruth Kulprasit kaew, 39, arrived and found them in flagrante. She said that Mr Suriya was enraged and Elderly man stabbed Mr Metha. The two then reportedly es- dragged under caped to Phang Nga on Ms Wachaya’s motorbike. Police dump truck are hunting for Mr Suriya. A 79-YEAR-old motorcy- – Winai Sarot clist was crushed to death Police have ordered a halt to construction of an eight-storey building near Phuket International Airport, when he collided with a gar- after a crane collapsed at the site on June 10, killing one construction worker and injuring three others. bage truck in Mai Khao on Hungry python The cause of the crane collapse is still unclear. Kritsana Crane Company and the developer, Phuket June 9. Sirinath Property, have been ordered to stop construction while investigations are underway. The injured The man’s motorbike was caught near were taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong wedged under the front right wheel of the truck, with his Patong school Kalim School. with CCTV footage. body stuck to the back left A THREE meter long python Department of Disaster Pre- Serial purse Nissan Islam, 21, was appre- wheel. was captured near a school in vention and Mitigation said the hended while he was driving. The man was fasting for Patong on June 14. python was later released into thief arrested Mr Nissan confessed, and Ramadan, and had just left his The snake was found with its the wild near a Chinese shrine POLICE arrested a serial purse was charged for two counts of house in search of food to head stuck in netting covering on Patong Hill. snatcher in Patong on June 9, robbery. break his fast. a chicken coop next to Baan – Chutharat Plerin after tracking his whereabouts – Kritsada Mueanhawong – Winai Sarot June 18 - 24, 2016 PHUKET GAZETTE 3 Speedboat collision kills two, leaves more than 20 injured A BOAT collision between two speedboat ferries killed two tourists and wounded 20 more, on June 8, officials confirmed. Phuket police said they have drug tested both boat operators, with both tests coming back negative. Both boat operators blamed heavy rain for the inci- dent, which occurred in Phang Nga Bay. Police identified the dead tourists as Liang Guanfu, 62, and Xu Tingting, 29, both Chi- nese nationals. The deceased were taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital. The deceased and injured were ferried back to Phuket's Rassada pier after the incident, authorities told the Gazette. Five wounded tourists are still in recovery: one in Phuket Bangkok Hospital, one in Phuket Provincial Hospital and three in Vachira Phuket Hospi- tal. The rest have been The two speedboats were reportedly carrying 62 passengers between them, mostly Chinese and Korean nationals. Photos: Kritsada Mueanhawong. discharged. One Chinese man underwent about one million baht for each departed from Koh Kai and down, which made it turn to rarely happen, but we’ve facial reconstructive surgery at of the deceased victims,” said were headed to Maya Bay on starboard, following the direc- learned from this incident, and Bangkok Hospital Phuket. Phuket Provincial Police Com- Phi Phi island,” said Col tion of the wind. The Hongfah we are working to avoid trag- Phang Nga and Phuket offi- mander Teerapol Thipjaroen. Teerapol. “The two boats were then collided with the Chanakit edies like this one in the future.” cials visited the victims in Police questioned Jakrapong moving parallel to each other, on her side. “Our officers have to check hospital on the day of the inci- Naweewong, the captain of Chanakit on the left and Police reported that the the health and condition of boat dent, and confirmed that the tour Chanakit 856, and Anan Hongfah on the right,” Chanakit was carrying 36 pas- operators, their boat’s condition, companies will be held respon- Pramongkit, the captain of Police reported that about 15 sengers and the Hongfah 26 at make certain there are enough sible for the victims’ hospital Hongfah 20. Both operators minutes into the journey, the the time of the collision. life jackets and that weather expenses. have been charged with reckless boats encountered very heavy “There are more than conditions are satisfactory, be- “Both boats have insurance, driving resulting in death and rain. 300,000 boats leaving Phuket’s fore letting the boats leave so the companies will pay about injury. With visibility obscured, the shores every year,” Col Teerapol shore,” he added. 50,000 baht for each injury and “Both operators said that they Chanakit reportedly slowed said. “These kinds of accidents – Kritsada Mueanhawong Collision prompts regulatory inquiry OFFICIALS from the Phuket Phuket Yacht Control Center’s Marine Office (PMO) told the potential to accommodate tour- Phuket Gazette that the investi- ists in a far-ranging area, and gation into a fatal speedboat col- increase our incident-response lision in Phang Nga Bay on June capacity.” 8, may result in additional regu- Mr Tanthai said the PMO’s lations for speedboat operators. expanded operations will be Tanthai Wongsayree, an of- coupled with additional regula- ficer with the PMO, said that tions for boats leaving Phuket. staff are in the process of re- “We plan to put forward viewing the causes of the boat regulations mandating that ev- collision, which wounded 20 ery tourist boat have a radio to tourists and killed two Chinese contact nearby boats or piers. nationals. This is better than only having Mr Tanthai said the PMO contact with the PYCC, because plans to expand its operational it will allow operators to coor- capacity as a result of the inves- dinate disaster response at sea tigations. more immediately,” he said. “We are going to broaden the – Sukawin Tanthavanich 4 PHUKET GAZETTE June 18 - 24, 2016 Celebrations honoring HM Sea gypsies sue the King reopen Surin Beach From page 1 … a pavilion; a photo center; and statues of the seven kings of Siam from the Sukothai pe- riod.