ANDAMAN Edition Volume 17 Issue 30 July 24 - 30, 2010 Daily news at www.phuketgazette.net 25 Baht Killer confesses By Atchaa Khamlo and Stephen Fein How the case unfolded RONALD Fanelli, an ex-US Navy officer PHUKET City Police were under pressure to quickly solve the who confessed to stabbing to death bar host- high-profile Wanphen murder case that was tarnishing ess Wanphen Pienjai last month, described Phuket’s image. Within a month, they were sure they had the the killing as a “terrible accident”, saying man they were seeking. that he never intended to harm her. June 18. Wanphen Pienjai is last seen alive leaving the Clean-shaven and appearing somewhat Sweethearts Bar in Kata in the company of a foreign man disoriented, Fanelli, 37, was presented who came to the bar asking about ladyboy prostitutes. bound in handcuffs to the media at a press conference chaired by Phuket Provincial June 24. A man on his Police Commander Pekad Tantipong on way to work finds the July 19. rotting corpse of a woman stuffed into a Placed on the table in front of him were suitcase and dumped the pair of camouflage shorts he was wear- beside a road in Wichit. ing at the time of the murder, the switchblade used to kill Ms Wanphen, a June 25. Employees small bag belonging to her, a mobile phone of the Sweethearts Bar and a SIM card. identify the body as that of Ms Wanphen. Other evidence seized by police, but not presented, included a foam mattress and June 30. Phuket City the motorbike used to dispose of Police appeal to the Ms Wanphen’s body, which was stuffed public for help in their into a large suitcase and dumped in a re- search for the prime mote part of Wichit, several kilometers from suspect and release a facial composite. Mr Fanelli’s rented home, also in the Wichit VICTIM: Wanphen Pienjai area. July 2. Phuket City After a brief statement outlining the de- Police offer a 50,000-baht reward for information leading to tails of the case, Mr Fanelli told the press the arrest of the killer. flatly, “I killed her.” He had been treated fairly by police, he July 14. The body of Ms Wanphen Pienjai is cremated at a small ceremony at Wat Kitti Sangkaram (Wat Kata). added. The atmosphere at the press conference July 17. Former US Navy officer Ronald Fanelli is arrested was somber, with many officers showing at his home in Thanthong Village housing estate in Chalong. sympathy to Mr Fanelli, who now faces the rest of his life behind bars in a Thai July 19. Fanelli confesses to stabbing Ms Wanphen to death at a press conference at Phuket City Police Station. prison. Continued on page 5 CONFESSED: Fanelli recounts the night of murder. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo Lost tsunami buoy recovered By Pimwara Choksakulpan The unit was successfully recovered by Providing information to the media were Royal Thai Navy SEAL divers aboard the Rear Adm Rueangtip Thiantong, deputy THE tsunami detection buoy that last week frigate HTMS Bangpakong, which returned commander of the Third Naval Area, HTMS was reported adrift and no longer transmit- to Phang Nga Naval Base at 9am July 18. Bangpakong Captain Chalermchai Suan- ting data was recovered by the Toyal Thai A press conference at the base was told kaew and Raydant International General Navy on July 17. July 18 that the HTMS Bangpakong left Manager Aurasa Paenghom. The buoy is reportedly not as badly dam- Phang Nga Naval Base at 5pm July 16 with Raydant International is the private firm aged as initially feared and the unit will be a crew of 210 seamen, five Navy SEAL contracted by the National Disaster Warn- redeployed in its original position off Phuket divers and three representatives of Raydant ing Center (NDWC) to maintain Thailand’s LOST AND FOUND: Navy divers prepare to hoist after the monsoon season. International. Continued on page 2 the buoy aboard. Photo: HTMS Bangpakong From THB From THB From THB * 3,737* * - Return flight to Penang + Hotel Fly Firefly from Phuket 3,610 2D1N 3D2N 6,155 3D2N - Per PAX based on TWIN share Penang Fly & Penang Beach to Penang, Malaysia Getaway @ Penang Beach More packages at Cruise @ Star Flamingo by the Getaway @ Grab these holiday packages from Pisces Hard Rock Hotel www.fireflyholiday.com beach Penang Penang - 4 Star Firefly Holiday * Prices shown are based on low season. Subject to availability. - 4 Star Terms and conditions apply. 2 PHUKET GAZETTE NEWS July 24 - 30, 2010 In a beautiful world THIRTY Miss Thailand World The ‘night’ idea for Krabi 2010 contestants arrived at Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket on July 21 Krabi Night Plaza sets the bar for as part of a four-day “training redeveloping unused wasteland. camp” to prepare for the pageant, to be televised live from Bangkok Page 7 on August 14. Apart from learning everything Foreigners by numbers they will need to know to succeed Why expats are being in the beauty competition, the con- counted in the National testants will also do some charity painting work at the Baan Laem Census 2010. Page 9 Sai School. This year’s pageant promises Travel to serve up some bombshells, as Penchant for Penang: chief organizer Nawat Itsornkraisil has this year given a blanket green Discovering beyond the light for plastic surgery. visa run. Page 15 “In previous years,” he said, Some of the contestants at the Cape Panwa Hotel. Photo: Thanasorn Chookate “the contestants were always du- and they’re absolved from criti- barred from adjusting on Miss bious about it and kept asking, cism in case the girls aren’t. Thailand World contestants is gen- Property ‘Can I do this? Is this much okay?’ Purists will still object, but der, so ladyboys (transsexuals) are Why Kamala Liberty is So we’ve now made it clear with these days many of the world’s still not eligible to compete. a blanket decision: Plastic surgery beauty queens – including those Meanwhile, the organizers worth US$7 million. is okay for this competition.” from Venezuela and India – have claim they are putting more em- Page 23 It’s two birds downed with one had tummy tucks, butt lifts and phasis on contestants’ skills and stone for the organizers: they no boob jobs, or at least a little facial talents. “We’d love someone who longer have to scrutinize appli- rearrangement. can sing different styles and speak Classifieds cants to make sure “they’re real”, The only thing surgeons are 10 languages,” Mr Nawat joked. Everything you need at prices you can afford, from jobs to homes. Pages 25-34 Sport Tsunami buoy salvaged FC Phuket bombs out From page 1 to Yala; Claire Haigh tsunami warning system, of kicks out in Singapore. which the early detection unit is a Pages 35-36 key part. In order to carry out the mis- sion, HTMS Bangpakong had its crane modified to hoist the two- tonne unit. The crane is normally Brit, 29, dies in hotel fall used to lift engine blocks, Capt A BRITISH man fell to his death resolve a conflict between himself Chalermchai explained. from a Patong hotel on July 18 in and his elder brother, and that he The navy was able to track the what Phuket Police believe was an had chosen to end his life as a re- drift of the buoy using GPS data, act of suicide. sult. The nature of the problem which located the unit 205 nauti- Case officer Nitikorn Rawang between the siblings was not cal miles west of the base at 4am of the Kathu Police identified the specified in the letter. on July 17. deceased as Mark Edward An investigation of the hotel Despite heavy rain and high Stevens, 29, of the UK. where Mr Stevens was staying winds, the unit was found using Police were notified by hotel uncovered whisky bottles in his radar and then visually confirmed staff that a man fell to his death third-story room and bloodstains at 6:30am. from atop a hotel on Rat-U-Thit leading from the room to the roof The SEAL divers found the The buoy being lowered onto the ship’s deck. Photo: HTMS Bangpakong 200 Pi Rd, Lt Nitikorn said. of the five-story building. unit’s eight-meter anchor chain Mr Steven’s remains were A security guard who witnessed connected to the much-longer system, the pressure-sensitive The unit was most likely hit by taken to Patong Hospital for ex- the fall said he went up to the roof- mooring cable, the length of which “tsunameter”, is presumably still a passing ship, as indicated by amination. top soon after the incident but could not be estimated. on the sea bottom 3,500 meters impact marks. The only other ap- Initial investigation revealed that found nobody there. The chain had to be cut in or- below the surface at the buoy’s preciable damage was a broken Mr Stevens arrived in Phuket two Given witnesses accounts, po- der for the unit to be recovered. original mooring site 600 nautical warning light and missing solar weeks earlier. lice presume the death was a The buoy was hoisted aboard miles northwest of Phuket. cell, she said. In his pocket police found a let- suicide but are awaiting a medical at 10:45am and arrived at port Raydant’s Ms Aurasa said the “I think the buoy must have ter of apology to his parents. He report to confirm the cause of 11:30pm the same day.