ANDAMAN Edition PHUKET’S LEADING NEWSPAPER... SINCE 1993 Now NATIONWIDE Last of the beach encroachers Governor vows to demolish buildings allegedly encroaching on Surin Beach INSIDE TODAY February 21 - 27, 2015 PhuketGazette.Net In partnership with The Nation 20 Baht ‘TOURISTS IN TEARS OVER BEACH CHAIRS’ Online 90-day immigration check-in not in Phuket, yet FOREIGNERS living in Thailand will be able to report to immigration for Beach bans their 90-day check-in via the immi- gration website no sooner than April, an immigration officer confirmed. Gov Nisit: no sun The news follows an experimen- tal launch of the online reporting loungers, cigarettes system in Bangkok last month. or food on the sand Full story on Page 6 Teen gangsters By Chutharat Plerin stab man near BEACHGOERS have been banned from eating and smoking on Phuket’s beaches. police station Governor Nisit Jansomwong announced the news on Tuesday at a press conference POLICE are hunting a group of designed to clarify that beach chairs were also teenagers who dragged a man out prohibited. of his pick-up truck and stabbed Beach umbrellas, even those brought by him in the chest just meters from tourists, are now confined to the designated Patong Police Station. 10-per-cent areas reserved for beach vendors, The man managed to limp to Governor Nisit said. Patong Hospital after the beating. Originally, the 10-per-cent plan allowed Police were unaware of the beachgoers with personal umbrellas to plant attack until they received a call from their parasols anywhere on the sand, and con- a hospital staffer. fined those renting them from vendors to the Full story on Page 2 10-per-cent area. Now, umbrellas are not allowed outside these areas, though towels and beach mats NO PICNIC: An unhappy beachgoer holds up a sign given to him by police. Photo: Decha Sithidej Weekend fun are still allowed anywhere on the sands. will continue to strictly enforce the rules to remove their sun loungers from the beach. The news delivered on Tuesday wrapped prohibiting beach chairs on Phuket sands,” Some videos showed tourists vowing never at Lighthouse up a wild week of beach-regulation enforce- he told the press conference. to return to Phuket if beach chairs remained ment that left one tourist in tears after police The governor’s statement flew in the face banned. politely – but forcibly – removed her private of Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup’s call Ms Chalermluck told the Gazette that she Market – join! beach chair from Patong Beach. on Monday for a compromise, following sev- was concerned about the effect these THE Boat Lagoon will be hosting its Meanwhile, more than 30 tourists stormed eral incidents on Patong Beach during which incidents would have on tourism. second Lighthouse Weekend Market the Kamala Police Station to demand an tourists became outraged after police asked “I understand where the tourists are following its sweeping success last explanation for why their beach chairs were them to remove their sun loungers from the coming from, especially the elderly. They month. The quality shopping, moved off the beach by police officers. sands in compliance with the no-chair policy. are more comfortable on the beach if they dining and entertainment runs from Yet, Gov Nisit stood strong in his decision The issue went viral on the internet, with have a lounger,” she said… 4pm to 10pm all weekend. to ban sun loungers from Phuket beaches. videos and pictures circulating on social “Today, I would like to make it clear. We media sites showing tourists upset when asked Continued on Page 7 Full story on Page 11 2 PHUKET GAZETTE PHUKET NEWS February 21 - 27, 2015 Man stabbed meters away Business from Patong police station PHA launch to tackle By Thawit Bilabdullar hospitality industry A MAN is in hospital after a gang woes. Page 11 of teenagers dragged him out of his pick-up truck and stabbed him in the chest within meters of the Property Patong Police Station last Sunday. An established expat Yet, police did not learn of the community can ease a attack until staffers at Patong Hospital called them at about move abroad. Page 30 3:30am. The staffers reported that Food Surasak Ruengpeng, 26, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, had stag- Chill out at Jasmine B’s gered up to the emergency room with friends and good and collapsed. grub. Page 31 He had been stabbed once in the chest with a thin, sharp ob- ject. Art Lt Col Teerasak Boonsang re- Local BISP student sponded to the call, and soon after Mr Surasak limped to Patong Hospital after the attack. his team of officers found a pick- “They smashed the window station, but unfortunately could opens first solo art up truck parked askew in front of and pulled Mr Surasak out of the not get in through the side gate exhibition. Page 32 the police station with the driver’s car,” Col Teerasak said. “They and became trapped.” window smashed. beat him to the ground, then con- Mr Surasak is now in the men’s “Witnesses said that they saw tinued to kick and punch him. surgery ward at Vachira Hospital Well-being Mr Surasak’s truck screech to a “After that, one of the teenag- in Phuket Town, a hospital staffer Reap the benefits of halt in front of the police station, ers pulled out a knife and stabbed confirmed on Wednesday. the truly magnificent as he had tried to enter through him.” Police are searching for the the gate on Sainamyen Road,” said The teenagers then sped off, gang of attackers. mangosteen. Page 33 Col Teerasak. leaving Mr Surasak to limp toward “We have very little to go on, “But it was the wrong entrance; Patong Hospital, about 50 meters and there is no CCTV covering the Boating it was closed. The main entrance away. area where the attack occurred, is around the corner.” “We believe that Mr Surasak but we will check other CCTV A two-year voyage in The witnesses also reported see- had an earlier altercation with the cameras in the area,” Col Teersak creating the 55-foot ing a group of teenagers – number gang that attacked him,” Col said. Siesta. Page 35 unknown – ride up on more than Teerasak told the Gazette. “We will question Mr Surasak four motorcycles. “He tried to get to the police after his condition improves.” German tourist drowns off Krabi A GERMAN tourist drowned in Krabi while swimming with his son on February 12. Martin Hofstetter, 57, and his family checked into a bungalow resort on Koh Siboya, south of Krabi Town, on February 11, explained Lt Col Kittichet Kittiratanasombat of the Klong Khanan Police. “They took a sea trip to Koh Lola and went swimming there [on February 12],” Col Kittichet told the Gazette. Rescue workers attend to Mr Hofstetter’s body after the accident. “They were unaware of the explained. rushed him to Nuea Klong Hospi- strong current there. Mr “His son was unable to pull his tal, but he was pronounced dead Hofstetter could not stop himself father back to shore, and he on arrival.” from being dragged out to sea.” started calling out for help,” he Arrangements are being made Mr Hofstetter’s son rushed to said. to return Mr Hofstetter’s body to help his father, while his mother “Several local villagers rushed Germany for the funeral, Col looked on from the shore, some to help. They managed to bring Kittichet confirmed. 150 meters away, Col Kittichet Mr Hofstetter back to shore, and – Kritsada Mueanhawong February 21 - 27, 2015 PHUKET NEWS PHUKET GAZETTE 3 One killed, three injured in multi-vehicle road accident POLICE are blaming a new set of traffic lights “The truck and van flipped onto their sides for a high-speed crash that killed one motor- and slid together across the southbound lane, cyclist and injured three others on hitting two motorbikes and two cars, before Thepkrasattri Road on February 12. coming to a stop on the side of the road.” Police arrived at the scene, at the old air- Uthit Saeyang, 34, on a Honda motorcycle, port junction, to find a 10-wheeled truck and was killed in the collision. Three other people a van overturned on the shoulder of the road suffered minor injuries. next to a motorcycle, as well as two other “We believe Prasit Srisomut, 43, the truck damaged vehicles in the street. driver, did not know that the traffic lights The Russian men were arrested “CCTV footage in the area shows a 10- were there, as they were installed only three and charged with visa overstays. wheeled truck in the northbound lane days ago. He did not see them as he came up approaching the intersection at high speed and to the junction,” Col Thanorm said. slamming into a van waiting there at the red “Regardless, he will be charged for reck- Misbehaving lights,” Lt Col Thanom Thongpan of the Tah less driving causing property damage and A Honda SUV and a metered taxi were both Chat Chai Police told the Gazette. death.” – Thawit Bilabdullar damaged during the accident. Russian men charged for overstaying IMMIGRATION Police arrested Lost in translation two Russian men at Nai Harn Beach on February 11 after com- By Voratuss Intasee everyone understood the new rules plaints that the men were before we started strictly enforc- “behaving badly”, including steal- POLICE had to scramble last ing them,” Col Akanit said. “We ing small items from local stores week to correct fliers that were don’t want to ruin tourists’ holi- and failing to pay for meals.