ANDAMAN Edition PHUKET’S LEADING NEWSPAPER... SINCE 1993 Now NATIONWIDE Man in Brown: road must be shared Koh Kaew traffic officer lays down laws of the road during rush time INSIDE TODAY February 23 - March 1, 2013 PhuketGazette.Net In partnership with The Nation 25 Baht ‘THEY CAN TAKE DIRECT ACTION AGAINST ILLEGAL ACTIVITY’ Aldhouse Land title deeds back in hot seat Department of Special Afraid to fight Investigations picks up the murder charge torch in Sirinart National Park Full story on page 2 probe as DNP struggles to maintain momentum White Police By Orawin Narabal aim to clean THE Department of Special Investigation (DSI) stepped in this week to expedite the ongoing investigation of up dirty cops illegal land encroachment in Sirinart National Park. MEMBERS of the Office of In- Acting on a complaint from The Department of Na- spector General (OIG) arrived in tional Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), Phuket on February 19 to intro- whose own investigation seemed to ground to a halt last duce a nationwide program de- year when an expected 366 investigators from Bangkok signed to oust crooked police of- failed to arrive, the DSI has taken the reigns. ficers and slowly change police “I believe DSI will make the work flow faster be- culture in Thailand. cause they have more authority to check for the details Each of the 1,460 police sta- and documents than DNP has and they can take direct tions across Thailand will have 10 action against illegal activity because they are more in- of its officers selected this year dependent,” Sirinat Marine National Park chief to help gather information about Cheewapap Cheewatham told the Gazette. the behavior of police officers and Where appropriate, the DSI will be using the newly the station’s actions as a whole. revised Anti Money Laundering Law to prosecute cases, “The officers will receive the explained Prawuth Wongsinil, chief of the DSI Con- honor of becoming ‘White sumer and Environment Protection Office. Police’. Another 10 will be “The new law will be used to press charges of… selected next year. Continued on page 8 DSI helps with investigations initiated by former DNP Director-General Damrong (pictured). Continued on page 3 2 PHUKET GAZETTE PHUKET NEWS February 23 - March 1, 2013 Aldhouse afraid to put on Business gloves for murder trial An in-depth look into By Chutharat Plerin fuel consumption habits in Phuket. Page 11 BRITISH kickboxer Lee Aldhouse admitted in court Monday that he was afraid to fight the premedi- Property tated murder charges he faces for Bill Barnett pegs Layan the slaying of former US Marine Dashawn Longfellow in 2010. Beach as the next Phuket Nonetheless, the confessed killer hotspot. Page 14 entered a plea of “not guilty” in front of a judge at the Phuket Provincial Court. Arts/Entertainment “I am afraid to fight the case. I Get your fix of books, heard that if I plead guilty, my blues, bodies and big penalty will be commuted,” Aldhouse told the judge. names. Page 38-39 “Do not listen to anyone. Listen to me. I am telling you to History stick with the truth,” the judge replied. The Urak Lawoi, a people Aldhouse recounted to the court who settled an entire his version of the night’s events that led to the death of Mr archipelago. Page 41 Aldhouse was extradited from the UK in December 2012. Photo: Gazette file Longfellow. And though Aldhouse did confess to the judge that he to the Gazette. arrested by British authorities upon Charity killed the 23-year-old American However, Mr Tawan explained arrival at Heathrow Airport, Lon- It’s the gift that keeps on Marine, he maintained that he did that his understanding was that the don, on an unrelated charge. not have the premeditated inten- death penalty would not be con- The British national is the first giving – the indestructible tion of murder. sidered as an option in the person to be extradited from the soccer ball. Page 42 Aldhouse faces charges of pre- sentencing if Aldhouse were found UK to Thailand in more than 100 meditated murder under Section guilty, as he had already confessed years, according to Col Wichit 288 of the Thai Criminal Code. to stabbing Mr Longfellow. Intorrasorn from Provincial Police Sport The penalty for that charge is Aldhouse, also known by his Region 8. FILA meets in Phuket to death or a term of imprisonment kickboxing nickname “The Aldhouse is not due to be pre- discuss the future of of 15 to 20 years, Tawan Pitbull”, fled Thailand on August sented in court again until August. Sukyiran, the public prosecutor 17, 2010, three days after the slay- He will remain in the custody of the wrestling. Page 48 assigned to the case, confirmed ing of Mr Longfellow. He was Phuket Provincial Prison until then. ‘Missing’ Swiss student pleads guilty Sidecar backslide kills one A MOTORBIKE with a sidecar carrying six Burmese workers slid to Ranong Immigration theft charges down a hill and flipped over in the THE Swiss student who was mother was in Ranong to post her Blue Canyon Country Club on thought to be missing for a month daughter’s 130,000-baht bail bond. February 14, killing one and seri- before she was found in Ranong Cpl Rungroj Somjai of the Ranong ously injuring two. Prison has pleaded guilty to theft Tourist Police reported at that “One of the passengers, Mr charges, receiving a suspended time,“She confessed to the over- Muang, told us that they worked sentence. stay, but denied stealing the at the Blue Canyon Country Club When Tscherina Nora Janisch, camera.” and were returning home after a 22-year-old Swiss exchange On February 9, Ms Janisch work. Their motorbike had trouble The motorbike and sidecar flipped as they slid down a hill. student, refused to pay a three- pleaded guilty to theft in the going up a hill, and eventually slid day visa overstay fine on Ranong Court, the Gazette was down it at a high speed and flipped condominium project within the December 25 last year, she was told by a court officer. over,” said Tah Chat Chai Police country club. arrested by Ranong Immigration “She received a 6,000-baht fine Duty Officer Prakob Boonkwan. “Mrs Su, 35, died at the scene. officers. Tscherina Janisch. Photo: Travelfish and was sentenced to seven A Blue Canyon Country Club One female passenger suffered a Officers said that while they months in prison,” the officer said. staff member explained to the broken arm and one of the men were processing her arrest, she Ms Janisch remained in jail for “However, because she pleaded Gazette that the Burmese work- broke a leg. The others were not stole a Canon PowerShot A640 almost a month before her family guilty, she received a one-year ers were not part of their staff, seriously injured,” Lt Col Prakob from one of their desks, and she learned where she was. suspended sentence,” he added. but were part of an outsourced added. was charged with theft. On January 23, Ms Janisch’s – Orawin Narabal construction team working on a – Thawit Bilabdullar German survives three-storey fall from balcony A GERMAN tourist who fell from the balcony of his third-floor hotel room on the morning of Feb- ruary 16 is still on life support, but has been moved out of ICU and is said to be in stable condition at Vachira Phuket Hospital. Patong Police received a report at 2:45am that Alexander Sven Zott, 35, had fallen from the third floor balcony of his room at the Kalim Resort. “His arms and back were bro- Alexander Sven Zott is still on life support at Vachira Hospital. ken and blood was flowing from Inside the man’s hotel room come with me to paradise. I love a head wound,” said Lt police found an unaddressed you with all my heart. Kiss…” Thawatchai. letter which said, “I am dead; – Thawit Bilabdullar February 23 - March 1, 2013 PHUKET NEWS PHUKET GAZETTE 3 Top cop grapples with Valentine’s Day case By Thawit Bilabdullar “They pointed a gun at Benz’s head,” said the girl. “They should PHUKET’S top cop took the be charged with attempted reigns in a Valentine’s Day violence murder.” case after a teen couple expressed The case investigator, Thalang their concern to members of the police officer Niphon Temsang, Commander Amarin Akaravong of the OIG talks to police officers in Phuket Press Club that the alleged confirmed that the couple filed an Phuket about police culture. attackers would be protected from attempted murder complaint with the law by their father, a Thalang the police on Sunday. police officer. “The case will be sent to the Police culture to Police Commander Choti juvenile prosecutor because both Chavalviwat summoned Thalang the suspects are minors,” he added. face shakedown Police Acting Superintendent Ms Koy told members of the with new officers Sirisak Wasairi to Phuket Press Club report to him imme- ‘They pointed a last Friday that on From page 1 diately about the the evening of Feb- . case, which revolves gun at Benz’s ruary 14, she and Eventually, we will be able to around the claim of head. They should her boyfriend were change police culture for the bet- a 17-year-old girl that leaving the garage ter, and bad police officers will she and her boy- be charged with owned by Benz’s not be able to function within the friend, were attempted murder’ father when two ‘White Police’ organizations,” attacked by two – Koy boys rode by on said Commander Amarin teenage boys whose a motorbike and Akaravong from the Office of father is Sen Sgt Maj Wichit Dada “looked at them in an unfriendly Inspector General.