ANDAMAN Edition PHUKET’S LEADING NEWSPAPER... SINCE 1993 Now NATIONWIDE Larry calls it quits on corruption Australian Honorary Consul resigns post after nine years INSIDE TODAY September 7 - 13, 2013 PhuketGazette.Net In partnership with The Nation 25 Baht CHINESE TOURIST WAKES FROM COMA AFTER JET-SKI CRASH Pian may stand for re-election as mayor PATONG Mayor Pian Keesin has the right to run for re-election even if he is Beach safety found guilty of vote fraud, local election officials have confirmed. But the Election Commission in Bangkok has yet to file a complaint to the court to have the west coast power player removed from office. a slam, dunk Full story on Page 2 Taxi fares Patong speedboat to rise ‘for operators to ignore the better’ PHUKET’S leading trans- port officials are looking to order to slow down increase the standard fares charged by metered taxis By Irfarn Jamdukor in an attempt to provide better service to tourists, A MOVE by the Phuket Marine Office to ramp and a better standard of liv- up beach safety by enforcing a 5-knot speed limit ing for taxi drivers. for boats is meeting strong resistance from Full story on Page 4 parasail operators at Patong. Enforcement of the speed limit is aimed at boosting water safety in the wake of a Chinese Water body honeymooner being rendered comatose in a col- lision between a parasail boat and the rented jet-ski under fire he was riding at Patong Beach (see page 3). THE chief of the island’s In response, Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut mains water supply has met the Chinese tourist’s pregnant wife and prom- defended his office’s work ised action would be taken. He also called an A Patong jet-ski operator points to where the jet-ski collided with the parasail boat, sending a Chinese tourist, just 27 years old and on his honeymoon, comatose to the hospital. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong to install new pipes, saying emergency meeting about beach boat safety on he will ensure better notice Tuesday to hear what steps the Marine Office introducing a new ‘vessel management system’ tronic motion monitors that log boat speed, in future when shutting off would take to avoid any similar accidents in the for speedboats,” said Phuket Marine Office chief direction and GPS location. tap water supply for sev- future. Phuripat Theerakulpisut. “The aim is to ensure that speedboats do not… eral days at a time. “Jet-skis, as extreme sport machines, are too The new system will require all speedboats difficult to regulate. Instead, we will focus on operating in Phuket waters to be fitted with elec- Continued on page 3 Full story on Page 5 2 PHUKET GAZETTE PHUKET NEWS September 7 - 13, 2013 Vote fraud charge Property Terminal X to add 10 new check-in counters cannot stop Pian at airport. Page 13 By Saran Mitrarat Business PATONG Mayor Pian Keesin has New pool factory in the right to run for re-election Phuket to serve as hub even if he is found guilty of vote fraud and the order to remove him for Asean. Page 17 from office is upheld, election officials have confirmed. Health Action to unseat Mayor Pian began last year when the Office The benefits of pilates of the Election Commission of laid out by a long term Thailand (ECT) headquarters in instructor. Page 36 Bangkok, responding to a com- plaint after the September 2012 election, issued an order to remove Environment him and five other Patong officials Find out about how we from office for electoral fraud. The next step took place in are rapidly ruining our Phuket, when Phuket Election planet. Pages 40-41 Commission (PEC) Director Kittipong Thiengkunakrit signed that order on July 29 this year. Events To go into effect, the order must The Turtle Fun Run is now be filed by the ECT and then here again; this week supported by the Administrative Court Region 8 in Phuket Town. in history. Pages 44 Patong Mayor Pian Keesin after winning the September 2012 election. He As of Wednesday, the ECT had has since been charged with vote fraud. Photo: Gazette file yet to file the complaint, a court Sport official confirmed to the Gazette. Dr Kittipong said. September 25 to file the com- “Once the court has received “During the hearing, the ac- plaint, Dr Kittipong confirmed. Swimming tip: pace the complaint, Mayor Pian and the cused will have the right to defend “At this stage, all we can do is yourself to reach your five other officials will be sus- themselves against the allega- wait until the EC files the complaint goals. Pages 49 pended from office, pending the tions,” he added. to the court. I simply don’t know outcome of the court hearing,” The EC in Bangkok has until when then that will happen,” he said. Blackout on Swedes’ trial Australian dies in Patong crash OFFICIALS at Phuket Provincial details of the testimonies and the Court on August 29 ordered a me- verdict, as is their right,” Ms AN AUSTRALIAN tourist died at dia blackout of the ongoing trial Wanna said. Vachira Phuket Hospital on the of Swedish nationals Tommy “But while the trial is ongoing, morning of September 3 after the Soderland and Sebastian Ljung this is a decision for the judge to motorcycle he was riding crashed amid concerns that the media was make, and the judge in this case has into a power pole in Patong. influencing witness testimonies. decided to deny the media the privi- Police and rescue workers arrived The two men are on trial for lege of publishing any story until the at the scene, near Patong Municipal- the murder of Maksim Schantz in case is finalized,” she explained. ity Office on Ratchapathanuson Phuket in 2011. Among the court’s chief con- Road at about 5:30am. “We have seen at least one story cerns are that news stories “We found a man unconscious, in the media that strongly sup- revealing details about the case with a severe head injury,” said Lt ported the suspects. That caused may influence witness testimonies. Col Chaowalit Neamwadee of the victim’s family much distress, Soderlund’s lawyer, Prachaya Patong Police. and so we are now asking that no Thidpasawong, agreed to the ban. “We did not smell any alcohol on The motorcycle rental company identified the man as Tristen Sheridan. media report on the trial until it has “If the media publishes a story him, so we doubt the accident was concluded,” said the Director of [while the trial is underway], it alcohol-related,” Col Chaowalit said. Vachira Hospital in Phuket Town carrying identification, Patong Administration at Phuket Provin- might contain information that The Australian, identified as at about 7am, Col Chaowalit said. Hospital determined his identity by cial Court, Wanna Suetortrakul. could influence the testimony of Tristen Sheridan, 35, was swiftly He was pronounced dead there contacting the company that had “After the trial has concluded, witnesses who have yet to testify,” taken to Patong Hospital, but his at 8:52am. rented him his motorcycle. the press will be free to publish he said. – Phuket Gazette injuries necessitated transfer to Though Mr Sheridan was not – Thawit Bilabdullar September 7 - 13, 2013 PHUKET NEWS PHUKET GAZETTE 3 Jet-skier survives boat crash By Thawit Bilabdullar ski rental operators have prompted complaints from the THE Chinese tourist rendered co- Chinese honorary consul and a matose when the jet-ski he was consortium of EU Ambassadors riding collided with a parasailing in recent months. Just two days speedboat at Patong Beach has re- before Mr Shen’s accident, Gov- covered and been released from ernor Maitri had opened a the hospital. two-day seminar aimed at im- A nurse at Phuket International proving standards and behavior Hospital confirmed to the Gazette among the operators. that Shen Baocheng, 27, was re- “We would like to support the leased on September 3. victim and his wife,” Gov Maitri Mr Shen’s travails began on said. “We want them to know August 31, the day after he and his they have not been abandoned by wife arrived in Phuket with friends the Phuket government,” he said. to celebrate their honeymoon. By September 2, Mr Shen had “Our friends went on a day trip regained consciousness and was to Koh Phi Phi,” said Wen Wen, feeling better, and on the after- Mr Shen’s wife. noon of September 3 he was able “We decided not to go because to leave the hospital. I am pregnant and didn’t want to “We will take this lesson to learn be on the boat. and find the way to improve jet- Mr Shen, a policeman, rented ski safety for tourists. We must a jet-ski while Ms Wen Wen stayed Governor Maitri Inthusut and other officials visited Mr Shen the day of the accident. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong prevent this kind of accident from on the beach. happening in the future,” Gov By 11am he and a speedboat ernor Maitri Inthusut later said. room at Patong Hospital, and an Jet-Ski Association and the speed- Maitri stated. offering parasailing rides had col- When police and rescue work- hour later transferred to Phuket boat owner himself all visited Mr lided. A lifeguard managed to get ers arrived, “Mr Shen was International Hospital near Phuket Shen the same day, a move which Additional reporting by Irfarn him to shore quickly, and along unconscious and rescue workers Town, where he remained coma- signalled just how politically sen- Jamdukor and Kritsada with jet-ski operators on the were unable to rouse him,” Lt tose and was put on a respirator.