ANDAMAN Edition Volume 18 Issue 42 October 15 - 21, 2011 Daily news at www.phuketgazette.net 25 Baht Officials tally landslide toll Experts fear bypass landslide site could slide again By Stephen Fein evacuees, about 50 people includ- • Residents flee as ing staff and family. RESIDENTS of hillside areas in illegal dam bursts; Muang Phuket District chief Rassada Municipality have been administrator Pipop Sadkaow in- hit hard by landslides triggered by mudslide invades spected the area and estimated the heavy rains in recent weeks, with homes risk area at about 50 meters wide, Mayor Suratin Lianudom ordering 170 meters long and 22 meters evacuations in several areas. • Initial estimates deep. The area of greatest concern is put property damage “The means that about 187,000 a stretch of the bypass road north- at 100 million baht cubic meters of earth are at risk bound a few kilometers north of of landslide if rainfall saturates the Samkong (Tesco-Lotus) Junction, soil past the critical point,” he said. where several businesses had to called the structure home were out Subsequent evaluation by a evacuate staff following a landslide working at the time; as this goes consulting geologist put the fig- on October 5. to print no serious injuries were ure even higher, at almost 250,000 Most badly damaged were ac- reported from this and several cubic meters. Untold thousands of cubic meters of exposed, waterlogged soil threaten further damage to the Adisak Equipment showroom. Photo: Chutharat Plerin commodations for Burmese smaller slides that followed in the Measures to prevent an even workers set up behind the show- area. larger slide that could surge covering it with sprayed concrete. vironmental Solutions (ESP) in room of the Adisak Equipment Rassada Municipality set up a across the bypass road, endanger- Whatever solution is chosen, the area for almost two decades, showroom. The October 5 slide, temporary evacuation center un- ing motorists and causing traffic Mayor Suratin and provincial of- doubted construction of a retain- which hit at about 10am, sent der tents erected in the parking lot chaos, are already under consid- ficials agreed that the soil in the ing wall would be of much help thousands of cubic meters of of a company across the street, eration. risk area would remain too satu- in preventing future slides given waterlogged soil, uprooted trees with free food and drinks provided These include building a retain- rated to allow any work to begin the height of the exposed soil. and boulders crashing downslope to evacuees and rescue staff who ing wall along a 200-meter stretch until the end of the rainy season. “I think they would first have into the building, which was largely remained there around the clock. at the base of the Phanturat Hills, Brad Kenny, an environmental to reduce the slope by cutting destroyed as a result. The family-run Adisak Equip- which rises up behind the build- engineer from America who has back from the top,” he said. Fortunately the Burmese who ment business had the most ings, terracing exposed soil and operated the consulting firm En- Continued on page 2 Early steps show little progress for ‘local stateless’ By Pimwara Choksakulpan them into “the the case files, it will begin the process of Registration is for the benefit of both system”, SDHSO verifying the applicants as Thai nationals. parties, though the government has not yet PHUKET officials this week concluded a officer Verapat “Other provinces have issued such ID clarified what rights successful applicants survey of the island’s stateless residents, I-namuna said. cards before, but this is the first time for will gain, given that their ID numbers will selected 74 applicants out of more than 100 The campaign Phuket. These people are different from sea begin with a zero, Mr Supachai said. to process in a scheme to register people began on June 24 gypsies, who are able to get ID cards,” Mr “We want to register them to be able to “outside the system”. and ended on Oc- Supachai said. track them in case they commit a crime, or The applicants are people living in Phuket tober 10, with “The stateless people, however, will get to be able to report to their families if they who hope to register and obtain basic rights approved applica- cards with a zero as the first digit in their have an accident. Who knows, in the fu- in Thailand, such as access to education, tions sent to the ID number – identifying them as people ture, the government may allow them to healthcare and property ownership. respective district without civil registration. No matter how apply for full Thai citizenship,” he said. The 74 applications for identification offices for the ar- long they live here, we cannot give them cards were deemed legitimate by the Phuket eas the applicants Tima Chid-ur, an Thai citizenship if their parents weren’t See pages 4-5 for interviews with Social Development and Human Security inhabit. ‘unregistered person’ Thai,” he added. Phuket’s stateless residents – some of Office (SDHSO) in their campaign to de- Muang District worries for her “It will take about a month for each case whom are ethnic Thai and born in Thailand children’s future. – and an in-depth look at how they have termine the number of people living in Chief Supachai to make sure that they are truly stateless struggled to survive. Phuket without civil registration and enter Pochanukul said once his office receives people.” 2 PHUKET GAZETTE PHUKET NEWS October 15 - 21, 2011 Rain delays repairs for First Person Patong Hill landslide Death-defying activist EFFORTS to replace electric util- saves mangroves from ity poles damaged during a encroachment.Page 9 mudslide on Patong Hill in Phuket last week have been hampered by Business continuing rainy conditions. The Provincial Electricity Au- Rule Brittania: Britons top thority (PEA) Phuket office is legal foreign labor force attempting to replace utility poles on Patong Hill damaged during a in Phuket. Page 10 mudslide on October 5. The current plan is to have the Health damaged poles removed by the Choose the right specs end of this week, with replace- ments installed a week later. to savor the sun on Weather conditions continue to bright days. Page 16 cause problems for workers, how- ever. Film “We are preparing the equip- ment to install 14 utility poles on 50/50 will leave the the other side of the road, because audience no chance but of slope stability problems on the to love it. Page 18 other side,” said PEA Phuket chief Somchai Krueapat. Several of the power poles hang precariously awaiting replacement. Replacement will will start at Property the Chinese shrine and stop just Department, which fears it could 1pm last Wednesday, washing A unique and antique shy of the Patong City welcome collapse. some 100 rubber trees downslope sign. Local residents will not suffer and toppling four electric poles. A Thai version of how to The PEA does not want to from blackouts while the poles are crack of a few centimeters wide move house. Page 27 block views of the sign by pass- being replaced, but electricity will appeared along a 150-meter ing power cables in front of it, he be cut temporarily when power is stretch of the newly-resurfaced Sport said. connected to the new poles, he road, from the Patong City sign Traffic on the notorious stretch said. to the hilltop shrine. Record entries for of road could worsen consider- Residents in affected areas will The crack, together with the Swatch FIVB volleyball ably when the work is underway be given advance warning of the fact that one of the power poles as it will require closure of another power interruptions, which should was also left leaning precariously in Phuket. Page 43 lane. One westbound lane has al- not exceed half a day, he said. over the slow lane, prompted of- ready been closed by the Highway The slide occurred at about ficials to close the lane to traffic. Landslides in Rassada Body of fallen Aussie held for tests Continued from page 1 However, many people in the POLICE will send the body of an repatriate to his native Geelong area were unsure where the exact Australian tourist to Bangkok for until the examination is complete, If that could be accomplished, boundaries of their plots ended, he forensic examination in order to Lt Jakkrapong said. terracing and sprayed concrete said. rule out any foul play in his fatal In Australia, the late Mr might be an effective solution, but When police arrived to investi- fall from a Phuket balcony last McKeon’s mother was in shock problems resulting from a rubber gate the situation they spoke with weekend. over the loss of her son, reported plantation and a small tin mine the equipment operator briefly, but His body was discovered in the the Geelong Advertiser. pond upslope also needed to be the excavation continued unabated car park at the C&N Hotel in The baby of the family, Dean addressed, he said. until about a year and a half ago Patong at dawn last Saturday. was “a beautiful bloke”, she said. From a third-floor balcony of his when the operator moved his Friends of the late Dean “He was lovely to everyone, he shophouse, Mr Kenny pointed to a equipment away. McKeon told police that they got was a really kind and gentle soul vacant lot where a heavy machin- Mr Kenny also spoke with the home at about 4am and were who loved music and was liked “very drunk” at the time.