Entertainment Venues Still Waiting on License Fees
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Volume 11 Issue 21 News Desk - Tel: 076-236555 May 22 - 28, 2004 Daily news at www.phuketgazette.net 20 Baht The Gazette is published in association with Entertainment venues still ICEC focus on waiting on IN THIS ISSUE license fees NEWS: Immigration website spins confusion; Baby dug- By Dhirarat Boonkongsaen ong improving; Seaweed to Koh Maphrao wash up on menus? PHUKET CITY: Wisut Romin, Pages 2 & 3 By Sangkhae Leelanapaporn Deputy Secretary of the Phuket INSIDE STORY: Year-round Provincial Administration Office dog day afternoons for the PHUKET: Phuket Governor (PPAO), told the Gazette on May hounds at the pound. Udomsak Usawarangkura has 14 that he is still waiting for the Pages 4 & 5 suggested Koh Maphrao as an al- Ministry of Interior to set the ternative location for the pro- fees for entertainment licenses, AROUND THE ISLAND: How to posed Phuket International Con- despite 50% of renewals having say it sincerely – with artifi- vention and Exhibition Center already been granted. cial flowers. Page 6 (ICEC), as a way to break a stale- More than 170 licensees in AROUND THE REGION: Krabi mate between the government in Phuket are waiting to see just enjoys this sporting life; Fare- Bangkok and local people over how much they will have to pay. well Uncle Loong. Page 8 where the mega-project should Speculation is rife that li- be sited. censes – valid from May 12 to PEOPLE: Another face and an- Speaking with the Gazette December 31 – may cost as much other life. Pages 10 & 11 at his office, Gov Udomsak said as 50,000 baht apiece. THAILAND TRAVELER: You’ll that the island, located about a Entertainment venues fall grin, not be grim, up north. kilometer off Phuket’s east coast into six main categories and Page 12 and part of Tambon Koh Kaew, some venues have had to apply would be an appropriate site be- for two or more licenses. FIRST PERSON: Rawai refuse cause most of its 3.2-square-ki- and restaurant wrangles A March 12 deadline was lometer area is government land. rumble on. Page 19 originally set for license renew- The Governor said a bridge als but, said K. Wisut, officials BUSINESS & MONEY: Thai-Oz could be built to provide access have continued to push applica- free-trade agreement all it to the island. This would afford tions through because of confu- seems? Page 21 impressive views from the ICEC. sion in the entertainment indus- SPORT: Thai track champ on The island might also be suitable try over which license, or li- Phuket; In-Between get the for marina development in the censes, to apply for. point. Pages 22 & 23 future, he added. He also cited incomplete “I think a budget of not and erroneous documentation GOOD LIVING: A class blast more than 3 billion baht to build from applicants as another cause from the past shows Phuket the ICEC at Koh Maphrao would of delays. the way forward. Page 25 be appropriate. A bridge to the Meanwhile, a complete PROPERTY: Home of the island could be built for about moratorium on the granting of Week in Patong; Plaza del 500 million baht,” he said. The school at Koh Maphrao, currently a sleepy backwater. new licenses has been imposed Mar update. Pages 26 & 27 The island is inhabited in Phuket until the backlog of mainly by Muslim villagers and Last October, however, the Party having taken control of the renewals has been processed. PLUS remains largely undeveloped. It Government seemed poised to OrBorJor. Some 200 new applicants was not among the four “final” go ahead with building the ICEC Gov Udomsak, who admit- have little option but to wait an sites that were put to a public at Saphan Hin, following a meet- ted that the project seems to have QUEER NEWS 4; AROUND THE indefinite period for a decision vote in February, 2003. ing between Deputy Prime Min- fallen into a policy limbo, pro- on whether they will get li- NATION 7; HAPPENINGS 9; At that meeting of 262 gov- ister Somkid Jatusripitak, Tour- posed Koh Maphrao as a way to censed. K. Wisut said that most HEARD & SCENE, HOROSCOPES ernment officials, leaders of ism Authority of Thailand Gov- break the deadlock. of these applications have come 14; KIDS 15; COMPUTERS, business organizations and mem- ernor Juthamas Siriwan, Gov “Koh Maphrao would be a from Kathu district, which in- BOOKS 16; HEALTH, LAW 17; bers of the public, 226 people Udomsak and Dr Prasit Koey- good place because it would not cludes Patong. EDITORIAL & LETTERS 18; IS- voted for a site at Tah Chat Chai siripong, then President of the involve land reclamation and “As to cost, people should SUES & ANSWERS 19; TOON in Thalang district. The site at Phuket Administration Organi- associated environmental prob- not worry. I don’t think that a li- TOWN, EDGEWISE 20; MOTORING Saphan Hin, favored by the gov- zation (OrBorJor). lems. This is just my opinion, but cense will cost more than 50,000 24; WINE 25; GARDENING 28; ernment, received just 19 votes, The island’s political land- I will present it to the parties in- baht,” said K. Wisut, adding that CLASSIFIEDS 29-35. while a third site, next to Ao scape has changed since then, volved if we cannot build the he expects the fee to be more like Makham, got 17 votes. however, with the Democrat ICEC at Saphan Hin,” he said. 10,000 or 20,000 baht. 2 PHUKET GAZETTE NEWS May 22 - May 28, 2004 Divers retrieve Training offered to 300m fishing foreign tour net from reef guides By Siripansa Somboon overboard by fishermen, causing PHUKET CITY: Phuket Gover- damage to coral and endangering nor Udomsak Usawarangkura PHANG NGA BAY: Phuket sea life in the area. has authorized the use of 1.5 mil- Marine Biology Center (PMBC) “It takes five to 10 years to lion baht from provincial coffers officers and volunteers from lo- restore areas like this that have to give 100 hours of foreign-lan- cal dive companies worked to- good water, but 20-30 years to guage instruction to tour guides gether on May 14 to retrieve a restore areas in water that is not in Phuket. 300-meter-long fishing net that so clean,” he said. Foreign nationals are had become entangled on coral Meanwhile, experts at the Although she is recovering well, this young dugong will need barred from being tour guides just off Koh Hang. PMBC at Cape Panwa have rated about 12 more months of care before being released. because it is a “reserved occupa- The net was discovered by the chances of survival of a dug- tion” for Thais only, but guides a PMBC officer on a regular dive ong found injured and stranded center before she fully recovers. weight has increased to 29 kilo- adept in Russian, Swedish, Ko- to inspect the condition of the at the edge of Klong Pa Khlok “We must be certain that she will grams, which is a good sign.” rean, Chinese and German are in coral. A length of about 10 on March 5 as high as 80%. be able to eat without assistance K. Kongkiat speculated that short supply. meters was found entangled with PMBC biologist Kongkiat before we release her,” he said. the infant dugong had become This has resulted in foreign the reef. Kittiwattawong, speaking to the “Her injuries, particularly a separated from her mother before guides working in Phuket – os- Marine biologist Niphon Gazette on May 17, said that the large gash on her mouth, are heal- being dashed on rocks and then tensibly as “interpreters” with Phongsuwan told the Gazette that young dugong will probably need ing very well, although she is still stranded. Thai “sitting guides” given the the net was probably thrown to spend another 12 months at the on antibiotic medication. Her task of deflecting uncomfortable questions from police or Immi- gration officers as to the role of the so-called interpreter. Employment Confusion over visas on arrival However, at least one Ko- By Dhirarat Boonkongsaen immigration law or regulations in ample, www.thaiimmigration. rean tour guide has been arrested fair to offer that year [1997].” com, posted by the Nongkhai and sources suggest that corrup- BANGKOK: Pol Col Chalerm- However, Col Chalerm- Provincial Immigration Office, tion – as well as illegality – is rife 2,000 jobs pong Vadhanasukha, the Deputy pong explained that under a rule did not answer the foreigner’s throughout the industry. Superintendent of Immigration issued in 1999, people applying question with the facts, but in- Panomphol Thummachart- Division 3, has verified that for- for visas on arrival should expect stead with misleading informa- niyom, the President of Phuket PHUKET CITY: About 2,000 eigners may receive more than close scrutiny. tion and humor,” he said. Professional Guide Association jobs will be up for grabs at a mass three consecutive tourist visas on “Real tourists are welcome “The Immigration Division (PPGA), told the Gazette that job fair at the Rajabhat Institute arrival. anytime, but immigration offic- 3 website [at www.imm3.police. there are 33 Thai guides in Phuket on May 27 and 28. Col Chalermpong clarified ers will usually consider foreign- go.th] is the official website Phuket sufficiently fluent in Ko- The fair, organized by the the issue after it was raised by a ers holding many consecutive where foreigners can find out in- rean to serve the market, but that Phuket Provincial Employment Gazette reader who was con- tourist [60-day stay] or transit formation and post questions this figure is not enough.