Volume 14 Issue 17 News Desk - Tel: 076-236555 April 28 - May 4, 2007 Daily news at www.phuketgazette.net 25 Baht Gazette Contradicting now on Mob stages blockade results for Dragonair Patong’s one- See page 2 for details. after police kill youth way surveys By Janyaporn Morel By Supanun Supawong The Gazette is published KOH KAEW: About 1,000 PATONG: The results from two in association with people from Koh Kaew blocked public opinion surveys of Thepkrasattri Rd for four hours Patong’s one-way traffic system in the afternoon of April 18 after are in – one says the public is in a 17-year-old local youth died favor of keeping the system, the after being shot by a policeman other says it is not. on the bypass road early that Prince of Songkla Univer- IN THIS ISSUE morning. A Phuket City police sity, Phuket campus, surveyed officer has now been suspended 759 people in Patong, with 60% NEWS: Immigration imperson- from duty without pay over the saying that are satisfied with the ators; Hostages over an amu- shooting. one-way system, but 40% say- let; Mob over police shooting. The protest caused long tail ing they are not happy with it. Pages 2 & 3 backs with some tourists forced The survey of 662 people INSIDE STORY: Thalang’s new to carry their luggage past the conducted by the Policy and reservoir. Pages 4 & 5 mob and continue their journey Planning Department (PPD) of in other vehicles. Patong Municipality, however, AROUND THE REGION: Samui- The protest was sparked by shows that only 41.2% of people Penang flights take off. the death of Worawut are in favor of keeping the sys- Page 7 Samarnmit, who, according to his tem while 47.3% want it AROUND THE SOUTH: Hostage father K. Yongyuth, was shot by scrapped – 11.5% declined to declines to press charges Sgt Prasarn Chuayman of Phuket Yongyuth Samarnmit (left, in gray polo shirt), whose son Worawut respond. against kidnapper. Page 8 City Police Station. died after the shooting, speaks to protesters at the Thepkrasattri Nawapol Na Nakhorn, an One of the victim’s friends Rd blockade. officer at the PPD, said that the AROUND THE NATION: Sirens told the Gazette that Worawut survey asked about improve- to be installed at natural at- and his friends were riding along of Yabunnoon Mosque about 2 tion Bureau be involved in the in- ments that should be made and tractions. Page 9 the bypass road about 1 am when pm and set up a blockade, refus- vestigation; what respondents believe the two police officers pulled along- ing to let traffic pass. 4. The officer who shot benefits and disadvantages of the LIFESTYLE: Lingerie collec- tions and hot bikinis take the side and asked them to stop so At 3:15 pm, Phuket City Worawut pay compensation to one-way system are. catwalk. Pages 18 & 19 they could inspect their driver’s Police Station Superintendent Col the victim’s family. “The most popular sugges- licenses. Nos Sawetalek arrived to nego- 5. Protesters be granted tion was to slow down traffic so SPORTS: Taekwondo; Darts; The youths refused to stop tiate with the protesters. He of- immunity from prosecution for pedestrians can cross the street ACYC; International cricket and one of the officers fired a fered three assurances in return staging the protest. safely,” K. Nawapol said. sixes. Pages 34 & 35 shot, hitting Worawut in the left for them disbanding: 1. Police will 6. All the demands be Phuket Provincial Police hip, the friend claimed. not allow the suspect to leave the agreed in writing. Commander Maj Gen Decha PROPERTY: Gardening: Crawl- ing pachyderms; Decor: Worawut was rushed to province; 2. The officer will be Col Chalit agreed to the Budnampetch said, “Different Warming up; Home of the Vachira Phuket Hospital, where suspended from duty during the demands, saying that he would people have different opinions, so week; Construction. he died soon after, the friend investigation; and 3. Five villag- be responsible for the case. nobody is right or wrong. The Pages 36-39 added. ers will be appointed to the in- The crowd dispersed after one-way system will stay, but we About noon on the day of vestigation committee. the victim’s father confirmed that have to make it better than it is PLUS the incident, the victim’s family However, the villagers re- police had accepted their de- now.” and about 100 villagers from Moo fused to disperse and instead pre- mands. He added that the Phuket QUEER NEWS 6; AROUND THE IS- 4 Tambon Koh Kaew brought sented a list demanding: Col Nos told the Gazette Governor will hold a meeting to LAND 10; DINING OUT 13; PEOPLE Worawut’s body to Phuket City 1. An officer be named re- that Sgt Prasarn has now been discuss the one-way system and 14 & 15; HAPPENINGS 16; SPA Police Station, where they were sponsible for the case; suspended from the police force the survey results. MAGIC 20; TRAVEL 21; TAKE A assured by Provincial Police 2. The officer who shot without pay while the investiga- According to Col Teera- BREAK 23 & 24; BOOKS, PHUKET Deputy Commander Col Chalit Worawut be discharged from the tion is underway. “We have also phol Thipjaroen, Superintendent DIARY 25; EDITORIAL, LETTERS Thintanee that the accused of- police force and all police offic- moved all six police officers who of the Kathu Police Station, the 26; HOROSCOPES, MOMMA D UCK ficer would be dealt with to the ers assigned to Koh Kaew be as- used to be responsible for Koh meeting to discuss the future of 28; YOUTH ’ N ASIA 29; COMPUT- full extent of the law. signed to another area; Kaew out of the area and in- the one-way system will be held ERS 30; BUSINESS AND M ONEY 32 Unsatisfied by the assur- 3. The Crime Suppression stalled a new team to replace soon, as the end of the evalua- & 33; CLASSIFIEDS 40-51. ances, villagers gathered in front Bureau or the Central Investiga- them,” he said. tion period passed on April 14. 2 PHUKET GAZETTE NEWS April 28 - May 4, 2007 Third death in Immigration denies dive shop ‘shake down’ the last hours By Janyaporn Morel structor’s work permit and passport. “We did not send any officers to check However, the dive instructor said that any work permits on that day, and we have of Songkran PHUKET: Phuket Immigration Office Super- he did not have it with him as he had just been no plans to start doing that. intendent Pol Col Ittipon Atchariyapradit has submerged in the water. “To prevent people from imitating Im- KATHU: In the fading hours of denied that Immigration officers were involved The men questioned the instructor away migration officers, you can ask them to present the government’s “seven days of in what seems to have been a shakedown at- from the dive students, and then went to the their Immigration Officer ID card. danger” road safety campaign tempt at a Patong dive shop on April 3. instructor’s house to check his passport and “You can also call us to check whether over the Songkran holidays, a 17- He believes the men were impostors. work permit. we have sent anyone. You can call Phuket year-old motorbike rider died af- In an email sent to the Gazette, it was Finding that dive instructor was hired Immigration Office at 076-211905 or call Pol ter his motorcycle and a Toyota explained that a dive instructor emerged from legally and had all the necessary paperwork, Capt Rassarin Teerapattanakul, the Deputy Fortuner collided at the junction the company’s dive training pool, where he the two men left, the email said. Inspector who is responsible for Investigation of Wichit Songkram Rd and the had just finished teaching a dive class, when Col Ittipon said that Phuket Immigration work, at 081-6167933 anytime,” he said. entrance to Bang Wad Dam. two men arrived claiming they were from Office does not send officers to check work Col Ittipon added that complaints about At a Governor Meets the Phuket Immigration Office. permits unless he receives a complaint that people imitating government officers can filed Press meeting held April 18, the The men asked to see the dive in- foreigners might be breaking the law. at any local police station. day after the official end of the Songkran holidays, it was ex- plained that Eakasit Khamnoi was driving at 10:35 pm April 17 Phi Phi ferry when his motorcycle and the Crazed taxi driver Fortuner collided. Officials named the driver of the Fortuner as 45- sinks after year-old Australian John Ian Rob- erts. engine Eakasit was pronounced defends his Jatukam dead at the scene. catches fire Mr Roberts has been By Supanun Supawong charged with negligence causing PHUKET CITY: Realizing that KOH PHI PHI: More than 100 death. he had lost one of his precious tourists were rescued by the Krabi Throughout the nation 361 Jatukam images, a motorbike taxi Marine Police after a fire broke people were killed in road acci- driver went on a rampage April out on the ferry they were taking dents with 4,805 injured from 16, vandalizing a car and threat- from Phuket to Phi Phi Don Is- 4,274 accidents during the seven ening residents of a government land on April 23. days of Songkran celebrations. housing estate with a large knife. Phuket Marine Police Of- Capt Nikorn Chuthong of ficer Lt Col Prathueng Srilamon- Gazette onboard Phuket City Police Station iden- tree identified the vessel as Jet Dragonair flights tified the man as Aphinan Chan- Wave 3, which departed from thana, 41.