Volume 15 Issue 16 News Desk - Tel: 076-236555April 19 - 25, 2008 Daily news at www.phuketgazette.net 25 Baht The Gazette is published in association with Immigration 54 Burmese die in launches island-wide IN THIS ISSUE trafficking horror raids NEWS: Finn found dead; Aussies help out; Patong RANONG (Gazette, Nation): By Gazette Staff restaurateur stabbed; Incin- Fifty-four Burmese, 17 men and erator finds support. 37 women, suffocated to death PHUKET CITY: Following a Pages 2 & 3 while being transported in the crackdown ordered by new sealed container of a seafood Phuket Immigration Police Su- INSIDE STORY: Top tips for delivery truck on April 9 en route perintendent Pol Col Chanatpol turning Thai. Pages 4 & 5 from Ranong to Phuket. Yongbunjerd on April 10, more AROUND THE ISLAND: Buxom Col Kraithong Chanthongbai than 100 illegal aliens found work- babes and burly bikers cruise of Suksamran District Police told ing in Phuket were arrested and through Phuket. Page 7 the Gazette that police received deported before the start of the a call from local people saying that Songkran holidays. AROUND THE SOUTH: Pulo a 10-wheeled truck had been left News of the arrests was calls for an end to Southern by the side of Petchkasem Rd in distributed to the media during a bloodshed. Page 8 Village 3, Tambon Naka, Suk- special “meet the press” event samran District, Ranong. hosted by Phuket Immigration at AROUND THE NATION: ‘Bad boy’ seeks flushing success. “Inside the container were the Balé, opposite Phuket Immi- Page 9 121 Burmese. We found 54 bod- gration headquarters, on the night ies: 17 men and 37 women. The of April 12. PEOPLE: Learned lady could other 67 were still alive,” Col A nationwide crackdown teach you a thing or two. Kraithong said. was ordered by Immigration Po- Pages 14 & 15 Although the container on lice Bureau Commissioner Lt the truck has a refrigeration unit Gen Chatchawan Suksomchit on LIFESTYLE: Central fashion and a night at the opera. to preserve seafood, it was not April 9, the same day 54 illegal Pages 18 & 19 switched on, he said. immigrants suffocated in a truck “Now 10 of them are still while being transported to SPORTS: Boxing; Top celebs in Suksamran Hospital. The rest Phuket. set to stop in for a round; are being held in police custody Phuket Immigration Deputy Youngster earns trip of a life- as illegal immigrants. We will Workers move coffins containing bodies of the Burmese workers Superintendent Lt Col Chaya- time; Underwater cleanup. present this case to the court to- who suffocated while being transported in a sealed container from wuth Chansomboon and Inspec- Pages 34 & 35 morrow,” he added. Ranong to Phuket. Photo by The Nation. tor Pol Maj Neti Khanboon were The survivors told police girl, has drawn criticism from the able to finalize and sign the assigned to organize the Phuket PROPERTY: Gardening: Know they were on their way to international community over Memorandum of Understanding sweep, which resulted in the ar- your tools; Construction up- Phuket, he said. Thailand’s treatment of illegal on the Cooperation to Combat rests and subsequent deportation date; Property Watch: Prop- “Those who died were aliens and has highlighted the Trafficking in Persons, Especially of 107 Burmese, including 43 erty on the net; Home of the dead for about an hour before we plight of those fleeing Myanmar. Women and Children,” K. women. Week: The house that Geoff arrived,” he said. On April 11, Thailand sent Noppadon said in the letter. Also released to the press built. Pages 37-42 “They said they banged on a message of condolence to Thailand signed a memo- at the event were arrest and de- the walls of the container, Burma over the deaths. randum of understanding (MOU) portation statistics for 2007, dur- PLUS screaming for the driver to stop. Thailand also called for the on cooperation in the employ- ing which Phuket Immigration When he did and opened the Nay Pyi Taw government to sign ment of workers in 2003, but the arrested 3,622 illegal aliens, of QUEER N EWS 6; AROUND THE R E- door to the container, he ran a pact to combat human traffick- pact is in the process of national whom 96% were Burmese. De- GION 10; GOOD LIVING 12; HAP- away,” Col Kraithong said. ing. verification for Burmese work- portations numbered 4,923 in PENINGS 16; LARGER THAN L IFE Col Kraithong confirmed Foreign Minister Noppadon ers in Thailand. 2007, with more than 95% of 17; LIFESTYLE 18 & 19; SPA that the truck, with Ranong com- Pattama sent the letter of con- The new MOU would add those deported being Burmese. MAGIC 20; WHAT’S ON 21; TAKE mercial registration plates 70- dolence to his Burmese counter- impetus to the cooperation be- From January 1 to April 9, A BREAK 23 & 24; LOOKING 0619, belongs to Rungruengsup part Nyan Win saying that that tween the two countries, he said. 2008, Phuket Immigration ar- BACK 26; BOOKS, THAI 101 27; Limited Partnership. the tragedy that killed the Bur- “Our joint efforts will un- rested 2,923 illegal aliens and EDITORIAL, LETTERS 28; FIRST The driver, who police iden- mese workers underscored the doubtedly contribute to prevent- deported a total of 3,362 people, PERSON, ISSUES & ANSWERS 29; tified as Suchon Boonplong, 38, need for cooperation to fight ing the recurrence of such a including some arrested by other PATTAYA, HOROSCOPES 30; COM- gave himself up on April 15. police units on the island. Again, PUTERS 31; BUSINESS AND M ONEY against human trafficking. tragic incident, which shocked 32 & 33; CLASSIFIEDS 43-55. The death of the 54 Bur- “I hope that Thailand and the peoples of both countries,” the vast majority of deportees, mese, including an eight-year-old Myanmar [Burma] will soon be Noppadon said. more than 98%, were Burmese. 2 PHUKET GAZETTE NEWS April 19 - 25, 2008 Appeal made Gambling arrests still top crime statistics for missing PHUKET: Arrests made for prostitution in Twenty-five people were arrested for of which three involved motorcycles and two Phuket decreased in March from the previ- using cannabis, with a total of 5.8 kilograms involved cars. Arrest were made in 39 of the British tourist ous month, while the number of arrests for confiscated. There were 18 arrests for inhal- cases. PHUKET: The Immigration Po- gambling shot up by 127 cases, according to ant abuse and seven for possession of No murders were recorded for March, lice Tourist Assistance program monthly crime statistics released by Phuket krathom (an indigenous Thai plant that acts despite Swedish tourist Hanna Backlund be- is asking anyone with information Provincial Police. as a mild stimulant) with 270 leaves of the ing stabbed to death in broad daylight at Mai about Daniel Christian Hall, who During March, there were 304 arrests plant seized. Khao on March 15. was last seen at the full moon for gambling, 139 arrests for prostitution and One person was arrested for posses- Nine arrests were made in connection party on Koh Pha-ngan on Feb- 110 arrests for drug-related offenses, 58 of sion of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) with 12 reports of assault. Of four rapes re- ruary 24, to contact them. which involved ya bah (methamphetamine) with 0.5 grams seized. ported, arrests were made in three of the cases. According to a report filed with a total of 13,463.25 pills seized. There were 75 cases of theft reported, Sompratch Saowakhon with police, no-one has heard from him since he abandoned all his belongings except his passport Finn dies of in his bungalow at Laem Son, Haad Yao, on Koh Pha-ngan. Aussies help train suspected It has also been established that no funds have been with- drawn from his account since heart failure February. The most recent with- drawal was an unsubstantial By Janyaporn Morel amount, “just enough to last a Phuket lifeguards couple of days”, the report said. KARON: Before moving ahead It has also been established By Natcha Yuttaworawit with any further investigation, that he has not been admitted as police are waiting for medical a patient at any of the local hos- KAMALA: Ahead of the rainy analysis of the body of a Finnish pitals, the report said. season arriving next month, when tourist who died on the morning Mr Hall is 35 years old, the rough surf along the west of April 9 at the Hilton Phuket about 180 centimeters tall and of coast of Phuket becomes danger- Acadia Resort and Spa. average build. ous for all but experienced swim- Capt Theerawuth Thepluan Anyone with information mers, Phuket lifeguards were of Chalong Police Station iden- that may lead to discovering Mr trained in surf life saving tech- tified the deceased as 46-year- Hall’s whereabouts is urged to niques at Kamala Beach on April old Onerva Kastehelmi Jakt- contact that Immigration Police 12 and 13. holm. She was found dead of Tourist Assistance program at: Conducting the training apparent heart failure in her [email protected] were experienced members of room on the fifth floor of the the Avoca Beach Surf Life Sav- hotel. ing Club (SLSC) in New South “When we arrived, she was Middle Way Wales, Australia, who have com- lying beside the bed. Her friend, peted in top-level surf life-saving Young members of the Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club in New also from Finland, was crying at meditation training competitions. South Wales, Australia, were part of the team that held a training her side. There were no injuries session for Phuket beach giards at Kamala on April 12 amd 13.