ANDAMAN Edition PHUKET’S LEADING NEWSPAPER... SINCE 1993 Now NATIONWIDE You can keep your hat on Saddle up for the Melbourne Cup fashion special INSIDE TODAY November 9 - 15, 2013 PhuketGazette.Net In partnership with The Nation 25 Baht Marine safety top concern after Pattaya ferry kills 6 THE day after a Pattaya Outrage over ferry sank, killing six, officers in Phuket con- ducted a marine-safety inspection at Rassada Pier. Officers checked cap- tains’ licenses and ensured that boats had the neces- sary number of life vests. The Rassada Pier is the main jump-off point for tourists leaving Phuket to amnesty bill explore the islands dotting Phang Nga Bay. Protesters gather Full story on Page 2 Woman falls against controversial for Facebook scam artists bill at Phuket’s largest A WOMAN fearful of hav- ing been scammed through a person met on Facebook, political assembly filed a complaint to police after having already been convinced into transferring By Chutharat Plerin over 2 million baht out of her account. PHUKET staged its largest-ever political rally, to protest the amnesty bill, last Sunday, yet within hours more than Full story on Page 3 1,000 of the demonstrators had already fled the island to join the mass protest in Bangkok. Tuk-tuks told About 5,000 people from throughout the region turned out during the six-hour protest in front of Phuket Provin- to take a hike cial Hall last weekend. PHUKET’S top cop is ex- Then, the protesters who travelled to Bangkok did so pected to unveil a plan in separately, many on chartered tour buses, and many oth- two weeks that will remove ers in tour vans and personal vehicles, explained protest many of the tuk-tuks sta- co-ordinator Apharat Chartchutikumjorn. tioned bumper-to-bumper “We did it this way so we could avoid police prevent- along the Patong beach ing us from travelling to Bangkok. We encountered this road, and similar locations, problem during the Pitak Siam protests against the am- in order to make car park- nesty bill earlier this year,” Ms Apharat said… ing spaces for the public. Continued on Page 6 Protesters rally against the perceived injustice of the amnesty bill. Photo: Saran Mitrarat Full story on Page 5 2 PHUKET GAZETTE PHUKET NEWS November 9 - 15, 2013 Pattaya ferry deaths Property Can the Philippines spur marine checks contest with Macau and By Kritsada Mueanhawong Singapore? Page 14 POLICE Region 8 Commander Business Panya Mamen Monday morning led a team of officers on a safety There’s more to food inspection of passenger vessels at delivery than fastfood Rassada Pier, a major jump-off and pizza. point for tourists boarding ferries Page 17 and tour boats to islands in Phang Nga Bay and along the Andaman Food coast. Get a breath of fresh The safety blitz followed a heavily overloaded ferry from air in Chalong at O2 Pattaya capsizing off Koh Lan, in Beach Club. Page 34 the Gulf of Thailand, leaving six tourists dead and at least 26 in- jured (see page 8). Events Pol Col Suwan Cheawnavin- Top beach volleyball thavat told The Nation on Monday that a Russian man, a Russian players clashed in woman and a Chinese man were Karon. Page 40-41 among the six dead. Two Thai women and a Thai man were also Officers check life vests on a Phuket ferry. Photo: Phuket Marine Police Education recovered dead. “Authorities must keep an eye “I am confident that all offic- “Witnesses said that there were on tour operators to make sure ers are ready to carry out rescue Tips on how you can neither enough tubes nor life vests they follow all safety regulations,” missions in response to any acci- improve your child’s on the ferry. Some of those who he stated. dents that may occur at sea,” Gen could not swim had to cling onto “They especially must not over- Panya assured. learning. Page 42 coolers or ice containers until res- load their vessels with passengers. “I have ordered officials in both cuers came,” Col Suwan said. Also, life-saving equipment must Phuket and on Samui to be strict Sport At Rassada Pier on Monday, Lt be provided to all tourists on on marine safety,” he added. Gen Panya announced, “Tourist board,” Gen Panya added. “Please take the Pattaya case as Phuket FC conclude safety is our first priority. A lot of Officials including Marine Po- a lesson to be learned from. We the 2013 season in bad tourists who come to Phuket lice, Marine Officers and members should be able to prevent such form. Page 50 want to go to other islands, such of the Royal Thai Navy assisted in tragedies from happening,” Gen as Phi Phi and so many others.” inspecting vessels at the port. Panya said. Former Outrigger General Manager Beach closed over crocodile scare found dead in luxury villa by wife GOVERNOR Maitri Inthusut “There is no hunt for the A FORMER General Manager of asked hotel staffers and local resi- crocodile. Village headmen and Planning – Support for Outrigger dents on Monday to help keep villagers have been told not to kill Hotels and Resorts Asia Pacific people out of the water along Mai the animal if they spot it. We are was found dead at his luxury villa Khao Beach after a 2.5-meter-long only attempting to return it to its in Cherng Thalay Sunday. crocodile was spotted in the area natural habitat,” Mr Tanet said. William Marshall, 55, was found on Sunday. Officers believe that the reptile in his bed by his wife. There were The alarm was raised at 8:30am is a freshwater crocodile that no signs of a struggle, police said. by a staffer at the Maikhao Dream came from Pru Jae Son Lake. Mr Marshall’s wife, Grace Lee Villa Resort and Spa Phuket, at the “This is the first time that we Marshall, 49, told police that the southern end of Mai Khao Beach. have spotted a crocodile swim- couple had slept in the same bed “A crocodile was seen a few ming in the sea near Mai Khao the night before. hundred meters from shore,” said Tourists, locals and officers all Beach,” Mr Tanet said. “When I got up, I didn’t notice Kritsada Boonta, a 25-year-old started to search the water for the “Though tourists might be William Marshall Photo: LinkedIn 2.5-meter-long crocodile. anything unusual,” she said. “Af- officer at the nearby Mai Khao scared, this animal is not normally ter a few hours passed, he didn’t couple’s son and daughter crying Tambon Administration Organiza- “To ensure the safety of tour- aggressive and a great number of get up. I went to wake him, but I by their swimming pool. tion (OrBorTor) rescue center. ists and residents, Governor Maitri them can be found in the right couldn’t.” Mr Marshall’s body was taken “Tourists and local villagers were declared the area a no-swim zone,” habitat,” he said. Mrs Marshall called the police, to Thalang Hospital to determine frightened,” Mr Kritsada said. Department of Marine and Coastal The crocodile has not been who arrived at the house at about the cause of death. In response, the beach was Resources (DMCR) Phuket office sighted since Sunday. 1:45pm to find her and the – Thawit Bilabdullar closed. chief Tanet Munnoy said. – Irfarn Jamdukor November 9 - 15, 2013 PHUKET NEWS PHUKET GAZETTE 3 Woman duped of B2mn Top cop warns recruits over through Facebook scam bribes, extortion PHUKET’S new top cop has By Kritsada Mueanhawong The man told her that police warned the island’s police rein- suspected her in money launder- forcements that swift disciplinary A WOMAN believed by police to ing and were pursuing their action will be taken and criminal be entangled in an intricate investigation of her. charges will be levied against Facebook scam transferred 2 mil- “However, he said it all could them if they go crooked. lion baht into a Thanachart Bank be dealt with if I transferred 2mn “The most important thing is to account and 48,000 baht into a baht to him,” Ms A said. “I be- not use your career to benefit your Bangkok Bank account based in lieved him and transferred the own pocket,” Phuket Provincial Phuket. money to a Thanachart account.” Police Commander Ong-art The 53-year-old woman, The man called Ms A again on Phiwruangnont told the 97 re- named only as “Ms A” by police, October 28. cruits, all recent graduates of the filed a complaint on October 30 “He asked for an additional police academy, at an assembly on after being asked to transfer an 2.3mn baht. He claimed that the November 1. additional 2.3mn baht to a bank Malaysian Customs and interna- “If you accept bribes or extort account in order to allegedly pay tional police were demanding more people, or do anything else illegal off Malaysian Customs and “in- money,” Ms A said. “I did not have for financial gain, you will face not ternational police”. enough money, so I talked with only disciplinary, but also crimi- Ms A found herself caught up some foreign friends. They sus- nal charges,” Maj Gen Ong-art in the drama after meeting a man pected I was being scammed, warned. on Facebook months ago who which is why I filed the complaint.” claimed to be Nick Henry from Wichit Police Inspector America, explained Sub Lt Suporn Passakorn Sonthikun contacted Dozing driver Muangkai of the Wichit Police.