Mob Blocks Kamala Roads by Khunakorn Terdkiatkhachorn Station at 3 Pm on March 17
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Volume 16 Issue 12 News Desk - Tel: 076-236555 March 21 - 27, 2009 Daily news at www.phuketgazette.net 25 Baht The Gazette is published in association with Mob blocks Kamala roads By Khunakorn Terdkiatkhachorn Station at 3 pm on March 17. He KAMALA: Kamala villagers was taken to Kamala Police Sta- blockaded the Kamala-Patong tion, charged with assault and then INSIDE Road for 20 hours from the bailed by his father. evening of March 17 in a protest After word spread that Mr over police handling of a brutal Lunglode had been released, the assault on a Kamala man. protest began. The protest began at Ka- The protesters’ demands mala Police Station at around 7 included that all officers con- pm, though traffic was not dis- nected with the case be trans- rupted until around 9 pm, when a ferred from Kamala Police, that blockade was formed at Kamala the perpetrators of the crime be Intersection. arrested within one day, that a Protesters quickly set up group of police officers the pro- tents and loudspeakers and used testers claimed were breaking vehicles to seal off the intersec- the law be transferred and that tion. all protesters be immune from At its peak, up to 500 people prosecution. joined in the protest. The blockade was formed Beneath the Many people traveling along at Kamala Intersections after Waves the road, including large numbers Protesters congregate in the middle of Kamala Intersection on the night police refused to accede to the The Gazette’s Diver Dan of tourists heading in and out of of March 17, preventing drivers from passing through. protesters’ demands. checks on the progress of the Patong for St Patrick’s Day cel- Mr Lunglode and three other hand and arms, requiring 200 Phuket Vice-Governor Coral Reef Squadron. ebrations, were forced to aban- men turned up drunk at the block stitches at Patong Hospital. Worapoj Ratthasima and other See page 17 don their vehicles and walk home. at around midnight on March 6 Later on the morning of officials came to negotiate with Villagers were angry that and demanded to see one of the March 7 he went to Kamala Po- the protest leaders, as well as Mr NEWS: Patong drug cra- Cherng Talay resident Lunglode residents. lice Station and reported the Somsak, at around 10.30 am on ckdown; PAD Phuket rally; Suepsin, 20, had been bailed after When Mr Somsak told them crime. But Mr Somsak and his March 18. Phuket’s new Governor. handing himself in earlier that day. the resident wasn’t there, they relatives also made their own in- By 1 pm, agreement had Pages 2 & 3 Mr Lunglode, the nephew started stealing mangoes from the quiries about the attackers and been reached to put the matter of the Cherng Talay Tambon before Phuket Provincial Court, INSIDE STORY: Is the trees around the houses, he said. identified four men they believed Chief Sommit Suepsin, had 17-year-old German ac- He claimed that after he were involved, including Mr though details of the proceedings been charged with the assault cused of child sex crimes told them to stop, they attacked Lunglode. cannot be reported. of Somsak “Big” Maisaphrao, The protest dispersed at himself a victim? him. He said they dragged him to When the police had made no 27, the manager of a row of Pages 4 & 5 the ground by his hair, then hacked arrests by March 9, Mr Somsak around 5.30 pm. At the time of rental houses on Soi Huakhuan him several times with a sharp- gave them the men’s names. writing, Mr Lunglode was back MOTORING: The Gaz- in Kamala. ened car leaf spring. Mr Lunglode handed him- in police custody, along with two ette previews the 2009 Mr Somsak claimed that He sustained wounds to his self in to Cherng Talay Police other suspects. Formula One season. Page 18 New genus of box jellyfish spotted off Phuket AROUND THE NATION 6; AROUND THE SOUTH 7; CAPE PANWA: A new variation same year. jellyfish might appear, but re- AROUND THE REGION 8; of the venomous box jellyfish The PMBC revealed that vealed that they like brackish AROUND THE ISLAND 10; [Chironex fleckeri] has been dis- this new genus of box jellyfish is water, such as that associated CHEAP EATS 11; PEOPLE covered in the waters around really small and had shorter ten- with mangroves. 12 & 13; HAPPENINGS 14; Phuket, the Phuket Marine Bio- tacles. The PMBC is continuing to AFTER D ARK15; LIFESTYLE logical Center (PMBC) reported Dr Somchai said, “I need to search for answers and Dr 16; WHAT'S ON 19; BUSI- on March 18. research whether or not this is just Somchai confirmed that experts NESS AND M ONEY 20; TA- Dr Somchai Bussarawit, a baby or a fully grown jellyfish. from Australia will travel to KE A B REAK 21 & 22; BO- Chief of Museum and Aquarium If this is indeed fully grown then Phuket to provide information and OKS 23; EDITORIAL 24; at the PMBC, said that the new it will pose a problem as it would instruction about box jellyfish. FIRST PERSON 25; HORO- species of jellyfish was discov- be more difficult to see. Most box Dr Somchai reiterated that SCOPES, HUMOR 26; TECH- ered at Ao Nambor, the same jellyfish are hard enough to see the best course of action following NOLOGY 27; SPORT 28 part of Phuket where almost 40 as it is – this is even smaller.” a suspected sting was the applica- &29; PROPERTY 30-34; were collected in July 2008 and He was unable to confirm tion of vinegar and that a doctor CLASSIFIEDS 35-48. a further 18 in October of the where else in Phuket these new should be contacted immediately. 2 PHUKET GAZETTE NEWS March 21 - 27, 2009 Billionaires lead Phuket’s top 5 Aleenta hosts turtle “rich and famous” villa list release ceremony PHUKET: Thailand’s resort is- and commentary on the rapidly 3. Hong Kong’s Allan land of Phuket is fast becoming developing Phuket storyline. Zeman, who is regarded as “The a hotspot for the world’s rich and You won’t find banner ads, Father of Lan Kwai Fong”. famous, who search for tropical hotel bargains, condos for sale or While his personal worth remains island living coupled with great Google AdWords on the site. It is undisclosed, he is highly ranked investment. purely relevant information as it amongst Asia’s most wealthy and According to the recently- happens without the mass com- influential businessmen. launched Phuket Insider blog, mercialization,” Barnett says. 4. Finnish Formula One star two of Forbes magazine’s lead- Phuket’s “Top 5” are listed Kimi Raikkonen. The flying Finn ing billionaires have über-luxury as follows: earns a reported US$44 million villas in Phuket. 1. New Zealand’s wealthi- per year from Ferrari and en- Resort Managing Dir- The Phuket Insider – The est brothers, Richard and Chris- dorsements and is ranked by ector Anchalika Kijk- source for all hotel and real es- topher Chandler (one brother for- Forbes as the fifth highest-paid anakorn opens the tate news – was launched ear- merly CEO of the Sovereign sports star and the 26th highest- ceremony by rele- lier this week by Bill Barnett, the Group). Forbes reported that the paid celebrity. asing the first turtle well known property columnist, Kiwi siblings have amassed a for- 5. British Binatone founder on Saturday night. hospitality consultant and manag- tune valued at over US$2 billion. Gulu Lalvani is ranked fifth on ing director of Phuket-based C9 2. Canadian Robert Phuket’s rich and famous list with Hotelworks. Friedland of Ivanhoe Energy and his globe-trotting celebrity and KHOK KLOY, PHANG NGA: jured turtles until they can be re- “Our passion is to provide Mines, with Forbes reporting a multi-million dollar personal for- The Aleenta Resort and Spa on leased into the wild. The turtles independent and intelligent news net worth of US$1.4 billion. tune. March 14 held a turtle release are often injured by encounters ceremony during which 20 young with fishing equipment. The Olive Ridley turtles raised in cap- project is now in its third year. results for three recreational tivity were released into the sea The resort also held a Random drug tests to drugs: ya bah (methamphet- at Natai Beach. fundraising event where gift amine), ya ice (crystal metham- The release was held at vouchers, donated by numerous phetamine) and ya E (Ecstasy). 10.30 pm, a time when the young other resorts, were auctioned off. continue for three months Of the 204 people the po- turtles were least vulnerable to The event raised 250,000 baht for lice have tested up to and includ- predators. The activity was or- the foundation to continue its ing Saturday night, eight turned ganized by the resort’s Sea Turtle work. Part of the money raised up positive when their urine Foundation, set up by the resort’s was used in the process of fitting samples turned tell-tale purple. Managing Director Anchalika sea turtles with small global posi- Those testing positive are Kijkanakorn. The foundation tional satellite (GPS) transmitters, subsequently given more accu- works with the Phang Nga Co- allowing their movements and rate blood tests to confirm the astal Fisheries Research and behaviors to be monitored and results and decrease the likeli- Development Center to treat in- studied. hood of a “false positive” result. First time offenders are required to register with the Phuket Pub- Teen charged with attempted murder lic Health Office and undergo CHERNG TALAY: Police on Prateep Na Talang allegedly be- treatment for drug abuse.