THEPHUKETNEWS.COM FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 2019 thephuketnews thephuketnews1 thephuketnews.com Friday, June 7 – Thursday, June 13, 2019 Since 2011 / Volume IX / No. 23 20 Baht SURF DANGER WARNING AHEAD OF ‘DROWNING SEASON’ > PAGE 3 NEWS PAGE 2 Spirit medium beaten to death TAXING with baseball bat TIMES EXCISE TAX BITES LIFE PAGE 11 HARD AS PATONG Frugal fashion at Phuket’s new BUSINESSES clothing swaps SUFFER Entertainment business owners in Patong are crying foul over the new excise tax, saying they are already under too much pressure. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot The Phuket News Mr Prab, a son of long-time former each month,” he added. that Patong business operators say [email protected] Patong Mayor Pian Keesin, said that Mr Prab estimated that 35% of they simply are unable to do. The the tax is too much for local busi- entertainment businesses in Patong’s current state of tourism in Patong has alls by Preechawut “Prab” nesses, who are already suffering usually-bustling entertainment dis- left entertainment business operators SPORT PAGE 32 Keesin, the well-known head heavily from plunging tourism figures. trict, centred around Bangla Rd, had high and dry, they say. Cof the Pisona Group of com- Mr Prab branded the excise tax already folded. Despite officials continuing to Laguna Phuket panies, for a reprieve on an 11% as “state sponsored extortion”, and He also warned that more closures report record numbers of tourist excise tax levied on entertainment blamed the tax for businesses having were to follow. arrivals, the island’s top nightlife businesses in Patong are gaining to hike prices in a town that already The “new” 11% tax is techni- drawcard, Bangla Rd in Patong, has Marathon pulls support, with leading business figures has some of the highest ground rents cally a 10% levy on incomes on all been taking a battering in business record numbers ready to lobby the Phuket Governor on the island. entertainment businesses, plus a 1% in recent years as the tourists visiting for support. “Patong is already experiencing “general tax”, introduced under the Phuket – and especially Patong – have The new tax, and alleged heavy- economic problems, and it is the low revised Excise Tax Act which came changed in terms of demographics handed approach by officials in its season, ” he told The Phuket News. into effect on Sept 16, 2017. and source markets. collection, is being branded as possibly “At the same time, through its new Now, with a full Thai tax year Weerawit Kreuasombat, President the final straw killing off entertain- tax calculation, the Excise Department concluded since the new levy was of the Patong Entertainment Business ment businesses in Phuket’s busiest is trying to take 11% tax from the introduced, tax officials are calling Association (PEBA), which represents tourism town. income of entertainment operators for operators to pay up – something some 500 entertainment businesses... CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 @thephuketnews 2 PHUKET NEWS THEPHUKETNEWS.COM FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 2019 [email protected] Phuket ordered to prepare for local elections News in Sept > p4 Patong nightlife venues fight new tax for survival Spirit medium beaten Continued from page 1 ...in Patong, only in December last year branded this most to death, body dumped recent tourism high season Eakkapop Thongtub threat could be carried out. in Phuket as “the worst high [email protected] “They admitted that a season in Patong in 10 years”. baseball bat was used to beat “Businesses have started to ll four suspects ar- Sathaporn to death. They close down because of many A family sits at a bar along rested for the murder used a black Hyundai H-1 reasons, such as the global Bangla Rd, uninterested in Aof a spirit medium to carry the body to dump it trade war causing slower the dancers behind them. whose remains were found beside the road on the night growth and less tourists, and last Saturday will undergo of March 16,” he said. the excise and revenue depart- adding only 7% to customers’ further questioning by police One of the suspects who ments are pushing to collect bills,” he said. following the revelation that had befriended Sathaporn more tax from entertainment “This is not the right time the murder was carried out had picked Sathaporn up at businesses,” Mr Prab said. to strictly enforce higher tax with a baseball bat. his house on a motorbike Mr Prab accused the move collection. Flexibility is need- Suspect Sukolrapong Police recover the body of 24-year-old Sathaporn ‘Tek’ and drove him to a house of being nothing more than a ed. We have fewer tourists, “Beach” Kaewsuwan, 27, Yindee last Saturday. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub in Chalong, where he was heavy-handed approach to fill and businesses are making was arrested on Monday, attacked and beaten to death state coffers. “It is part of the less money so they can’t pay Wichit Police Chief Col Yon - Khao Khad coastal Deputy Commander Col with a baseball bat, the of- government plan to pressure what officials are asking. They Nikorn Somsuk explained road, on Phuket’s east coast, Witoon Kongsudjai told the ficers explained. officials to increase tax col- would be paying out more in at a press conference on last Saturday. press conference. They then bound his lection so the government has taxes than they are earning,” Tuesday (June 4). The remains were soon Wichit Police Chief Col hands and feet with red nylon more funds for its budgets in he added. Fellow suspects Sukaray identified by the victim’s Nikorn added that the kill- rope and dumped his body the next fiscal year,” he said. “The current situation is “Chuk” Jitnaree, 27, Peerawat parents to be those of 24-year- ing was the culmination of along the Ao Yon road. Business owners were not affecting every entertainment “Sam” Saewong, 28, and old Sathaporn “Tek” Yindee, an ongoing dispute between Col Nikorn declined to prepared for the tax, Mr Prab industry related venue. Right Naruebeth “Low” Petchmak, well known among his friends Sathaporn and the four sus- reveal any further details added, and accused officials of now, 50-60% of operators are 20, were all arrested yester- as a spirit medium who took pects. about the case, and refused not informing them properly asking for rental discounts, day, he added. part in the annual Phuket He also noted that the to answer questions from the of what the new tax required. 30% have closed shop and The arrests followed the Vegetarian Festival. suspects had claimed that press about where the murder “We and other businesses vacated the premises, hoping discovery of heavily de- “All four of them revealed Sathaporn had threatened was carried out or what had didn’t have a chance to prepare to open in November for the composed remains in jungle their plan to commit murder,” to kill one of them, and so started the ongoing dispute for this 11% tax. We have been next high season,” he said. undergrowth beside the Ao Phuket Provincial Police they had reacted before that in the first place. Massage parlour operator charged with human trafficking of minors for sex A MAN WANTED FOR HU- sion (ATPD) confirmed to The he said last Tuesday. in the arrest warrant. was released on bail while fac- man trafficking in providing Phuket News last Thursday “Supachat denied the The sting operation was ing human trafficking charges underage girls as prostitutes at (May 30). charges against him,” Capt launched after officers had has yet to be revealed by police. a massage parlour near Phuket According to a copy of Prayut confirmed. discovered that the massage Sakoo Police Chief Col Kit- International Airport has been the arrest warrant provided The warrant was issued parlour had girls under 18 years tipong Klaikaew and Phuket arrested in Krabi after more to The Phuket News, Supachat last year after Supachat failed of age working as prostitutes. City Police Chief Col Sompong than a year on the run. was wanted for four specific to present himself in court Suppachat was arrested as the Thiparpakul both said they Supachat Chirawattana- charges of human trafficking Supachat Chirawattananukul, following his arrest by officers manager of the venue, noted were not aware of any reason nukul, 47, originally from of minors for sex. 47, was taken into custody from Sakoo Police Station, just the warrant. why Supachat would have been Lampang, was taken into cus- The arrest warrant was in Krabi’s Mueang District on south of the airport, on Mar The warrant also noted that allowed to post police bail. tody in Tambon Pak Nam, in issued by Phuket Provincial May 28. Photo: APTD 24, 2017. Supachat received B1,000 for Both chiefs were not in Krabi’s Mueang District, at Court on March 13, 2018. Supachat was arrested at each session a customer spent their current positions as top- 8pm Tuesday last week (May “Supachat has been “He was taken to Phuket “The Rich Massage” parlour, with one of the underage pros- ranking police officers at the 28), Capt Prayut Sornsawat brought back to Phuket to Provincial Court yesterday also located in Sakoo, in 2017 titutes, who received B1,500 time that Supachat fled while of the Royal Thai Police Anti face the charges against him,” (May 29), where he is being after officers staged a sting per hour per session. out on bail. Trafficking in Persons Divi- Capt Prayut explained. held in the detention cells,” operation, noted the details Details of why Supachat Tanyaluk Sakoot thephuketnews THEPHUKETNEWS.COM FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 2019 THEPHUKETNEWS.COM FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 2019 PHUKET NEWS 3 Surf danger lurks amid lifeguard patrol woes The Phuket News [email protected] aren Jenner, the International Surf Lifesaving Association (ISLA) Marine Safety Officer for The woman luckily escaped any head injuries and D broken bones in the fall.