ANDAMAN Edition Volume 17 Issue 51 December 18 - 24, 2010 Daily news at www.phuketgazette.net 25 Baht Security boost for high season By Atchaa Khamlo front of their houses, and some car and motorbike rental busi- POLICE in Kathu are boosting nesses were careless in renting out their presence on the streets of their vehicles. Patong for the high season. “They were not specific when The move follows Kathu Police recording the homeland of the per- Superintendent Arayapan Puk- son renting the vehicle and some buakhao meeting his top officers of their cars were driven out of on Monday. Phuket. Col Arayapan called for his of- “So officers will remind people ficers to ramp up security, in to be more careful with their mo- terms of crime suppression and torbikes, and we will talk with safety, and to work towards re- business operators to find ways Patong Municipality’s ‘Pearl of the Andaman’ float leading the parade, ducing the number of accidents to protect their vehicles,” he said. complete with its own angel of the clam. Photo: Janpen Upatising involving tourists during the com- Kathu Police Superintendent As for thieves working Patong Arayapan Pukbuakhao ing months. Beach, Col Arayapan said plain- The result is more checkpoints tainment zone are to close at 2am, clothes police will be patrolling the The carnival is on and more officers on the street, and that police are to ask enter- sands, keeping a close watch on THOUSANDS of people joined in glamorous outfits marched along with an extra presence after the tainment establishments to switch tourists’ belongings. the annual Patong Carnival pa- the streets, from Phang Muang bars close. off their outside lights and make “Many foreigners have had be- rade on Wednesday evening. Sai Kor Rd, along Prachanukroh To make the extra security pos- sure they do not make “too much” longings stolen on the beach, but Held every year for the past Rd then along the beachfront. sible, officers will be working noise during high season. didn’t report it to the police. 25 years, the week-long carnival Each float in the parade extra shifts and some will be “Special officers have been set “Many leave their belongings is held to usher in the tourism stopped briefly in front of Banana pulled from desk jobs. to look after cases of stolen cars on the beach while they go swim- high season. disco, longest running disco in Col Arayapan told the Gazette, and motorbikes,” Col Arayapan ming. Thieves watch them and Starting at 5pm with Patong Patong, to present a quick per- “We have set where the check- told the Gazette. steal their belongings while they Municipality’s Pearl of the formance expressly for Patong points in Patong will be and there “Every month we receive re- [the tourists] are in the water. Andaman float, the parade con- Mayor Pian Keesin and Vice- will be more officers on duty from ports about stolen motorbikes and “Now there will be more plain- tinued for three hours. Governor Weerawat Janpen 2 to 3am.” stolen rented cars. clothes officers keeping an eye School bands and the tradi- before moving along. The superintendent reminded “Some of these motorbike own- out along the beach and reporting tional ladyboys dressed in – Janpen Upatising his officers that bars in the enter- ers left the keys in their bikes in any thieves they see,” he added. Christmas comes early for Phuket pauper By Pimwara Choksakulpan refurbished house on December 13, HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s birthday. Rassada Deputy Mayor Ampol O-Art Deputy Mayor Ampol said the project has ONE of the poorest elderly residents of handed Uncle Put his house registration been ongoing since 2006, with the munici- Rassada received a special gift this year: A book and a collection of household appli- pality restoring one poor family home each complete renovation for his dilapidated, old ances for him to enjoy in his new home, year in honor of His Majesty’s birthday. house. including an electric fan, hot water jug and Modest Uncle Put said, “I would like to Put “Uncle Put” Nuengraksa, 73, was electric rice cooker. thank His Majesty and everyone who helped identified by Rassada Municipality as the Mr Ampol said the municipality spent to fix this house. I will live more comfort- most needy among five candidates living in 100,000 baht fixing the five-by-15-meter ably in this new house.” the sub-district. dwelling, which has two bedrooms and one Uncle Put was once a fisherman, but His ramshackle abode in Soi Ta Tan, near bathroom. They finished off by giving the back pain forced him to stop working 10 the Rassada Municipality offices on home a new coat of paint. years ago. Ratsadanusorn Road, was deemed in dire The free home restoration was carried Today he gets by with help from his five need of repair – especially its leaky roof. out under the municipality’s annual “Homes children, now all adults living in their own Uncle Put in front of his ‘new’ home. Inset: At the hand-over ceremony held at the for Locals” project conducted in honor of houses nearby. The dilapidated house before. 2 PHUKET GAZETTE NEWS December 18 - 24, 2010 Youth gang guns down Around the Nation ‘brave’ security guard State investigation’s findings on who killed civilians during the anti- AFTER standing up to a gang of young thugs, a security guard was government protests. Page 8 gunned down at a municipal park- ing lot in Phuket. Business Phuket City Police were noti- TAT launch green mark- fied of the murder at 7:40am on December 8 by residents at the eting campaign in 2011. new government workers’ hous- Page 12 ing complex off Rattanakosin 200 Pi Road in Wichit. Entertainment Officers led by Phuket City Police Chief Wanchai Ekpornpit Goddess of fire – rushed to the scene, located off Performer’s smoking the new access road to Saphan Hin from Chao Fa East Road. hot new show. Page 15 Slumped over in a plastic chair inside the guard booth at the en- Construction trance was the body of Winai Phuket Town’s Chao Fa Buathongkham, 54. Mr Winai died from a single East - Saphan Hin short- bullet that entered his skull at the Police inspect the booth where Winai Buathongkham was slain. cut ready to use. Page 23 base of the ear. Evidence at the scene, includ- saw the gang near the guard booth Mr Winai stood up to the gang ing spent casings and bullet holes, on the night, hurling insults at Mr by denying access to the parking Classifieds indicated that at least nine shots Winai, who stood his ground. lot to anyone who was not a resi- Everything you need at prices you were fired in the attack. Later, about 11pm, they heard dent, they said. Police believe the murder was loud noises outside but dismissed Police believe Mr Winai’s brav- can afford, from jobs to homes. carried out by a gang of young them as firecrackers and did not ery and professionalism cost him Pages 27-38 thugs who are well known to them go out to investigate, they said. his life. Sport and local residents for criminal ac- The next morning a resident no- Police said the gang members tivities including car theft, ticed no security guard was on were well known and a request FC Phuket to face motorbike theft and siphoning duty, then looked inside the guard for arrest warrants had already Rayong in a nailbiting petrol from vehicles. Residents booth to discover Mr Winai’s body. been filed. – Yodsak Jarana promotion match this weekend. Page 39 German’s Phuket stay goes to pot A GERMAN man in his 30s is fac- Mr Bergmann must stay on the ing deportation after being found island until his case is heard in Get off the booze bus overstaying his visa and in pos- court, said Lt Col Boonlert. BUS drivers heading out of Phuket session of half a gram of mari- Just in case, police are holding are being breathalyzed before get- juana. his passport until the court ver- ting behind the wheel. Chalong Police stopped Nico dict is handed down, he added. The alcohol checks are part of Bergmann, 33, about midday last An officer at Phuket Provincial the Phuket Provincial Transport Sunday as he drove through a Court confirmed to the Gazette Office’s annual road-safety cam- checkpoint in Soi Thanuthep. today that a date had yet to be set paign in the run-up to the Officers, led by Lt Col Weera- for the case. upcoming holidays, drivers on in- yut Sitthirattanakul, believed Mr Marijuana use is not illegal in ter-provincial buses are being Bergmann was acting suspiciously Germany and police do not fine tested for alcohol before getting and searched his car. people for possession of small on board. A bus driver takes the test. Photo: file In his bag officers found half a amounts, but the drug is listed as gram of marijuana, said the police a Category V controlled substance “This is to assure passengers throughout the period, said Mr Nico Bergmann faces deportation. that drivers are not drunk driving,” Kanok. report. in Thailand. Mr Kanok said. The PPTO will operate a hotline Then police checked Mr Berg- Chalong Duty Officer Boonlert Section 76 of the Narcotics Renowned as the “Seven Days (Tel: 1584) during the Seven Days mann’s passport and found that Onklang. “He can come back af- Control Act of 1979 states: “Any of Danger”, the end-of-year holi- to receive complaints and provide his permit to stay expired on Oc- ter that,” he added.