ANDAMAN Edition PHUKET’S LEADING NEWSPAPER... SINCE 1993 Now NATIONWIDE Paris Hilton not busting beats on Phuket Socialite and DJ Ms Hilton not booked for beach party INSIDE TODAY December 22 - 28, 2012 PhuketGazette.Net In partnership with The Nation 25 Baht ‘THIS TIME I DECIDED TO RUN TO YOU ASKING FOR HELP’ Child exploitation Tanon ‘Non’ Chamroen Phuket Teen champion of The Voice caught in spotlight PHUKET teenager Tanon “Non” Chamroen, now known as “Non Tanon”, Human-trafficking victim won the national singing talent quest The Voice Thailand 2012 last runs to the safety of Patong weekend. The Mattayom 4 stu- officials, only tip of the iceberg dent at Satree Phuket School in Phuket Town says children’s rights agency won one million baht in prize money, a car and a By Chutharat Plerin recording contract. Full story on Page 2 A 12-YEAR-OLD girl fleeing her captors to the safety of officials on Soi Bangla last week, has raised the ugly specter of Phuket becoming a prime human-trafficking and child- MMA fighter exploitation destination, according an international comes out children’s rights agency. The girl, nicknamed “Aoi” to protect her identity, ran about broken up to Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukban and about 10 other officers on night patrol on December 11, saying penis ordeal that she and some of her friends had been taken away MMA fighter Ray Elbe from their parents in Cambodia under the pretense that talks exclusively with they would be trained as nannies for high-society families the Gazette about the in Patong. penis injury he suffered “After we got here, the men forced us to steal tourists’ in his Kuala Lumpur bags. We had to steal one or two times a night – they condo earlier this month were always watching us, and if we didn’t steal some- during intercourse. thing, we weren’t allowed to eat,” Aoi said. A lot of men who in- “They said they would attack our parents back home if jure their penis don’t we did not do what they said,” she explained. seek proper medical “The men said anytime we see Mr Chairat we must run treatment and end up away… This time I decided to run to you asking for help. with permanent damage, I want to go home. I miss my parents.” he explains. ‘Aoi’ said she was forced by her captors to sell flowers and snatch bags from tourists as they Continued on Page 8 walked along Soi Bangla, Patong’s renowned party district (pictured). Photo: Gazette file Full story on Page 6 2 PHUKET GAZETTE PHUKET NEWS December 22 - 28, 2012 Phuket teen ‘Non Tanon’ Business wins The Voice Thailand Katathani Resort gives By Kritsada Mueanhawong a lesson in sustainable PHUKET teenager Tanon “Non” business. Page 11 Chamroen won the national sing- ing talent quest The Voice Thai- Finance land 2012 last weekend. Standing on stage in Bangkok last Saturday Don’t make these expat night, Non sang the Thai love song investing mistakes. Yung Mai Koey (“Still Never”) live Page 16 on Channel 3’s nationwide broad- cast of the finals. Now called “Non Tanon”, the History Mattayom 4 student at Satree Exploring the old trade Phuket School in Phuket Town won one million baht in prize route from south to money, a car and a recording con- north. Page 36 tract under the guidance of Thai singing-acting celebrity Saharat “Kong” Sangkapricha. In Focus A jubilant Non posted on his A super send off for Facebook fan page: “I want to the Asia Superyacht thank The Voice for this opportu- nity, and the four judges for their Rendezvous. Page 41 advice during the contest… I es- Prior to winning a million baht and a car, Non Tanon took his band to a second-place finish at the Yamaha ‘Battle of the Bands’. Photo: Phuketonline pecially want to thank my father Explore and my mother, and all my family national television. stopped when he was 12 because and friends, for their support Ms Kankamol explained that his voice was starting to break. For this holiday season throughout the contest…” Non Tanon was once a singer with “He started singing again when have a creepy crawly Backstage last Saturday night, the Superdance Samkong group he was 15 and started taking sing- Christmas. Page 42 Non Tanon showed his deep at Baan Samkong School in ing lessons at Siam Kolakarn reverence for his parents by Phuket Town. Music School at the Big C shop- offing a wai while prostrate at their “He started singing when he ping center [on the bypass road],” Sport feet, shown live to the country on was eight years old, but he she said. Futsal buzz: Phuket United find themselves Burmese worker exodus wins reprieve with no home. Page 50 THAI Labor Minister Phadermchai “We have yet to decide when Sasomsub on Tuesday said he will and how we will enforce this, as ask the Cabinet next week to con- we have yet to consult other agen- Brazen youths caught after sider postponing foreign worker cies,” she added. deportations for another three National reports estimate that months as many could not con- anywhere from 500,000 to bag snatch in front of police clude the nationality verification 800,000 migrant workers in Thai- THREE teenagers were arrested caught up with the youths about process by December 14. land face being repatriated to minutes after they snatched a bag 700 meters down the road, where The news follows the Phuket Myanmar for failing to have com- from a Chinese tourist right in they had stopped to throw the bag Provincial Employment Office Phadermchai Sasomsub pleted nationality verification. front of four Phuket police offic- into the bushes beside the road, (PPEO) chief warning that in line legally work in Thailand. In Phuket, officials have for ers in a patrol pickup truck last Capt Somnerk explained. with the national policy, any mi- “Anyone found to have not years estimated the number of Saturday night. The three suspects – Sutthinan grant workers found in Phuket completed this process, but who Burmese working illegally on the “The officers watched as the Pathan and Chalermpong without having completed the na- continues to work illegally after island to be around 100,000. young men on a motorbike with Nernsung, both 19, and a 14-year- tionality verification process will December 14 will be charged and In Bangkok, the Thai Chamber no license plate approached the old who cannot be named for legal be deported. deported, both Burmese workers of Commerce last week called on woman, Wang Ying, while she reasons – were each charged with “The deadline for migrant and employers,” she added. authorities to extend the deadline was walking by the side of the road “bag snatching by use of motor- workers to complete the national- Thai employers found hiring il- for nationality verification. with five friends near Phuket bike”, a specific charge particular ity verification process was legal migrant workers will be “Otherwise, the country’s ex- FantaSea,” Kamala Police duty to Thailand. extended by six months, from June fined, Ms Yaowapa said. port and economic growth will be officer Somnerk Dumkew said. “They are now being held in 15 until December 14,” PPEO Under the Alien Worker Act BE adversely affected,” chamber vice “The boys [sic] stole her bag, custody at Phuket Provincial chief Yaowapa Pibulpol said. 2551, employers found hiring mi- president Phumin Harinsut said, in but then noticed the police pickup Court. It is up to the court whether “During that time, migrant grant workers who have not been reference to the fisheries and re- behind them and sped off towards or not to allow them to be released workers must have completed issued valid work permits face a lated industries that generate 150 Patong,” Capt Somnerk said. on bail,” Capt Somnerk explained. the nationality verification process fine of 10,000 to 100,000 baht per billion baht in income from exports The officers gave chase and – Atchaa Khamlo and applied for permission to illegal worker. each year. – Irfarn Jamdukor December 22 - 28, 2012 PHUKET NEWS PHUKET GAZETTE 3 Child rape case Crane rips roof off Phuket tour van in Chalong handed over to A RETRACTABLE crane arm hanging over Phuket International Hospital. Patak Road in Chalong ripped the roof off a “They all have bruises to the body and are Phuket Public tour van transporting seven Russian tourists suffering back pain,” a staffer at Phuket In- just after 9am on Tuesday. ternational Hospital confirmed on Wednesday. Prosecutor The west-bound tour van was about 200 “They have been asked to remain in the meters from Chalong Circle when it collided hospital until we run further tests” she added. with the arm of the crane. Chalong Police Sub Lt Kraisorn The van was not overturned in the acci- Boonprasob explained that he had not charged dent. However, all seven tourists, as well as anyone over the incident yet. the van driver and tour guide were immedi- “We have still have to question to driver of ately taken to hospital. the van and the crane operator to determine in Two of the tourists and the tour guide detail what exactly caused the crash,” he said. The tour guide, driver and tourists were able were kept under observation overnight at – Irfarn Jamdukor to climb out of the vehicle through the roof. The young girl was allegedly raped Prison launches inquest by a neighbor. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo THE Phuket Public Prosecutor will present charges after December 21 against a man who allegedly raped a 9-year-old girl in Mai Khao of alleged death beating on October 7.