Valium Bust Leaves Kiwi Teen Stranded on Island
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Volume 17 Issue 3 News Desk - Tel: 076-236555January 16 - 22, 2010 Daily news at www.phuketgazette.net 25 Baht The Gazette is published in association with Valium bust leaves Kiwi INSIDE teen stranded on island By Dan Waites and Kitima Now on bail, he is due to drugs, but only in small amounts. prescription medications in Pornmongkhonwat appear in court for the second “It is illegal to possess these Thailand for over 20 years and TEENAGE New time next week. drugs without a prescription, but had never had a problem finding Zealander is stranded According to Thailand’s in Phuket we’re not very strict them in Patong. in Phuket after being Psychotropic Substances Act of as this is a tourist destination,” he “I knew it was technically A arrested for alleged 1974, possession of a ‘schedule said. “We grant permission to illegal, but I never thought it could possession of diazepam pills IV’ drug such as diazepam pharmacies to sell the drugs, get me in trouble,” he said. without a prescription. without a prescription is illegal but they need to report to the Asked about his force’s The 17-year-old, who and punishable by up to one year PPHO first.” attitude to the prescription drug cannot be named for legal in prison, a fine of 20,000 baht, There are around 250 trade in Patong, Kathu Police reasons, was set to fly back to or both. pharmacies in Phuket, making it Superintendent Grissak Song- his current home in Australia on Despite the law, drugs such impossible for the PPHO to enforce moonnark was emphatic. December 11. as diazepam and alprazolam regulations properly, he explained. “If you have these drugs in But four days before he was (trade name Xanax) are widely “We only have four or five your possession without a Children’s Day due to leave, he was allegedly available at pharmacies in tourist staff members who work in this prescription, the police have the The best photos from around caught by Kathu Police in centers such as Patong – with area,” he said. “But they have right to arrest you,” he said. the island on a special day for possession of a package of the tacit acceptance of some local other jobs too – they can’t just “If you can show you have youngsters. Page 12 diazepam, better known under the authorities. run around chasing these people.” permission from a doctor to use trade name ‘Valium’. A high-ranking source in the One long-term expat the drugs, we’ll let you go. NEWS: Abandoned baby The arrest meant he missed Phuket Public Health Office resident, who wished to remain Otherwise, we have to send you family flees; Kathu politi- his flight – and the chance to (PPHO) admitted his department anonymous, said he had been to a court to let them judge,” cian murdered; Mel Pu- spend Christmas with his family. permitted pharmacies to sell the buying these and other he said. rdue mourned. Pages 2 - 4 Riddle of the Rawai hanged man drags on AROUND THE REGION: Thailand’s famous Nakha By Atchaa Khamlo and Fraser was seen walking along the beach Water Lily is in critical dan- Morton the morning of the day his body was ger of extinction. OLICE and the German found. Prior to that he hadn’t seen Page 6 Honorary Consul for the man for about three months. Phuket are still trying to Mr Richard said the man had LIFESTYLE: Free-surfer P piece together the identity of a been troubled for quite some time. Teiki ‘Airlines’ Ballian talks Caucasian male found hanged in “I think he had been tricked about his life on the world’s a wooded area of Rawai on out of all his money,” said Mr oceans. Page 12 January 6. Richard without giving details. The deceased was dis- An official from Phuket’s AROUND THE NATION , QUEER covered hanging from the neck German Consular Office said that NEWS 7; LIFESTYLE 8 & 9; by a long, blue nylon packing cord without a passport, driving license PEOPLE 10; EXPAT GALLERY tied to a low branch. Police found or other form of identification the 11; LIFESTYLE 13; WHAT’S no identification documents or Bangkok embassy cannot be ON 15; BUSINESS & MONEY possessions on the body. officially alerted. 16; TAKE A BREAK 17 & 18; At least three people have The beach-side shack where a ‘once wealthy yachtie’ is said to have On January 13, German BOOKS, HOROSCOPES 19; come forward giving authorities sometimes lived in the months before his death. Honorary Consul for Phuket Dirk EDITORIAL, LETTERS 20; the same name of the deceased, man’s name and telling them he the man had been penniless and Naumann said his office “had no FIRST PERSON, ISSUES AND but the man’s homeless status and was from Hamburg, Germany. homeless, sometimes staying in a information from police”. ANSWERS 21; SPORT 23; lack of known family members A Thai man who said he driftwood and corrugated-tin “The body will be re- PROPERTY WATCH 24; CON- are making the identification knew the deceased said he was shack with another local Thai man patriated only upon a request by STRUCTION UPDATE 25; DO IT process difficult. once a wealthy expat who lived named Richard Kongmuang in relatives or as directed in a will. YOURSELF 26; EARTH MAT- A friend of the man visited in Phuket for several years and a secluded spot near Laem Ganoi If no relatives can be found, TERS 27; CLASSIFIED ADS owned a yacht. However, for Beach in Rawai. the body will be cremated in 28-40. Chalong Police Station a few days after the death, giving the several months before he died, Mr Richard said the deceased Thailand,” he said. 2 PHUKET GAZETTE NEWS January 16 - 22, 2010 Farewell Mel Purdue Kathu council member her. His girlfriend Miss Nonez of the Philippines will keep the remainder here in Phuket. “He lived a fun-filled life, murdered in hotel room and will always be remembered for his sense of humor,” Mrs OLICE arrested two later identified as Sutthika A hotel staff member who Purdue said. people for the brutal Saekhoy, 30, and Jeerawat identified himself as ‘Chumphon’ Born in Basingstoke England, stabbing murder of a Chainakin, 31. told the Gazette the couple Mr Purdue spent most of his life P Kathu town council Under questioning the arrived at the hotel at about working in the oil industry in the UK member in a Phuket Town hotel couple confessed to murdering 5:30pm. Mr Wassana arrived and central Europe. Moving to on January 7. 42-year-old Wassana Chai- about 15 minutes later. Phuket six years ago to retire with Lt Col Pitakpon Sompong yarab, a member of Kathu “I heard an argument from his wife, the couple bought a small said staff at the Park Inn Hotel Municipality. inside the room that lasted about house close to Nai Harn Beach. on Luang Phor Rd contacted Inside the hotel room, the 10 minutes before suddenly After a stint working in police at 6:30pm to report a police found Mr Wassana’s body turning quiet. I reported this to the Mel Purdue with his companian property development on the heated argument taking place lying on the floor next to the bed hotel owner, who called the Rowena ‘Vicky’ Nonez. island, Mr Purdue pursued his inside Room 30. with a deep knife wound to the police,” he said. love of music by opening the Just as police were arriving left side of his chest. Blood stains Under police questioning RIENDS and family are Jammin Bar on Bangkok Road in they found a man and a woman covered the walls of the room as Ms Sutthika said she once had mourning the loss of Mel Phuket City. The venue was on a motorbike acting sus- well as the bathroom. a relationship with Mr Wassana F Purdue, who died at popular with both Phuket’s Thai piciously and hurriedly preparing A round length of iron found who had fathered her twin Phuket International Hospital on and expat communities, who to leave. at the scene was also collected children before they broke up. January 10 at the age of 55. flocked to the venue on Saturday They stopped the couple, as evidence by police. -Pimwara Choksakulpan Mr Purdue died from organ nights to see live rock bands take failure after a year-long battle to the stage. with Hepatitis C. After the venue closed about British man dies home alone in Koh Keaw He is survived by his wife two years ago, Mr Purdue opened of over 20 years, Elizabeth 65-YEAR-OLD English- decided to ring the bell at medication from a private hospital the Vertigo Bar in Patong, and then man was found dead in his house. There was still no in Phuket City on the dining table. Purdue, his girlfriend Rowena more recently the Bohemian Rap ‘Vicky’ Nonez and his brother A his rental home near answer, despite the fact that his Ms Mayarassamee said Sawasdee Art Cafe in Phuket Boat Lagoon on January 5. motorcycle was parked in that Mr Cutler had told her that Michael, who lives in the US. Town with his friend and business Mrs Purdue and Miss The deceased, Barry Ron- the garage. he was in a motorcycle accident partner Dean Noble. ald Cutler, was found at about She then asked a security in Patong last month that affected Nonez together were joined by Currently in England, Mr the late Mr Purdue’s many 4pm in his rented home in Phuket guard to unlock the door, and his brain and that he had a history Noble said Mr Purdue was an Inter Villa residential estate on discovered Mr Cutler’s body.