ANDAMAN Edition Volume 18 Issue 46 November 12 - 18, 2011 Daily news at www.phuketgazette.net 25 Baht Fanelli sentenced to Two men navigate the streets of 10 years for murder Bangkok. Photo: AFP Prosecutor may appeal sentence, which was halved due to confession Phuket By Chutharat Plerin to discuss what they would do like to do further with the case… AMERICAN citizen Ronald Fanelli “As for whether or not we will reacts as has been sentenced to 10 years and file an appeal, that all depends on three months imprisonment for my client,” she added. flood crisis the stabbing murder of bar host- Prosecutor Permgiat explained ess Wanphen Pienjai last year. that the US embassy had filed a Fanelli was formally handed letter to the court through the de- continues down a sentence of 20 years im- fense lawyer. “The US embassy THE impact of the floods in prisonment for murder and explained in the letter that Fanelli Bangkok and Central Thailand another six months in jail for hid- is a former Marine who served in have been rippling across Phuket ing the body, Phuket Provincial Afghanistan for several years. He over the past week, with product shortages continuing to plague Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor killed many people during his tour the island and local residents Permgiart Bumrung, the lead pros- of duty, and this could well have pouring heart and soul into relief ecutor in the case, told the Gazette. affected his behavior,” he said. efforts. “The sentence was halved to 10 Phuket Provincial Prison Direc- Students at Phuket Vocational years and three months because tor Rapin Nichanon revealed that College are calling for volunteers he confessed,” he explained. the reduced sentence will be fur- to help make 12,000 meals a day to send to flood victims, while During the trial, the court heard ther reduced by the 471 days that Phuket Vice Governor Somkiat that Fanelli confessed to killing Fanelli has served in detention. Sangkaosuttirak has called for Miss Pienjai by stabbing her, but “As Phuket Prison accommo- officials to arrest anyone found said it was an “accident”. Former US Marine Ronald Fanelli was sentenced to 10 years in prison for dates prisoners serving sentences illegally raising prices while the Police presented evidence to murdering Wanphen Pienjai (inset) and stuffing her body into a suitcase. up to 15 years, he can stay here if nation is suffering. show that Fanelli disposed of Miss motorbike to a remote part of the reduced sentence because 10 chooses to,” Chief Rapin said. All six Rotary Clubs in Phuket have combined their efforts to Pienjai’s body by stuffing it into a Wichit. He dumped the suitcase years is not a long sentence for a “However, he has the right to provide assistance to flood large suitcase – posthumously several kilometers from his rented case like this,” Mr Permgiat said. contact his embassy and ask to victims and Phuket’s renowned breaking both of her legs so he home, where he was later arrested, The private lawyer who de- be transferred to another prison, Soi Dog Foundation is working could fold them into the luggage. the court heard. fended Fanelli in the case, who such as Klong Prem Prison in hard to rescue animals stranded “He kept the body in the room Prosecutor Permgiart said asked not to be named, on Mon- Bangkok, which would be more by the flood waters. for two days before disposing of Fanelli has until December 1 to day said, “I have yet to discuss [an convenient for him if he wants to See pages 4-5 for our full coverage. it,” said Mr Permgiart. appeal the verdict. “We are also appeal] with my client. I am also stay in regular contact with em- Fanelli carried the suitcase by considering filing an appeal over waiting for US embassy officials bassy officials,” he added. Transport chief pushes for new bus routes By Pimwara Choksakulpan private operators to provide bus services airport to the bus terminal on Phang Nga on those routes,” said Mr Terayout. Rd in Phuket Town. PHUKET Provincial Land Transportation The services will offer “hop on, hop The other two concessions are for a bus Office (PLTO) Chief Terayout Prasertphol off” bus stops. Exactly where the bus stops service within Patong and another from the has announced that his office will apply for will be is to be discussed at the next Pro- airport to Kamala, Patong, Karon and Kata. Phuket to have two new bus routes operat- vincial Transportation Committee meeting, “However, no operators applied to pro- ing from the airport: one to Rawai and an- for which a date has not yet been set, he vide bus services on those two routes for other running through Patong to Kata-Karon. added. fear of being attacked by ‘mafia’,” Mr He expects bus services along the new The PLTO has offered three bus-service Terayout told the Gazette. routes to be in operation by February. concessions since 2003, Mr Terayout ex- “When we apply to Bangkok for permis- “The next step is to apply to the Depart- plained. sion to offer concessions for the two new ment of Land Transport in Bangkok. If they The Airport Bus Phuket company already routes, we will also apply to revise the Air- The ‘Airport Bus’ is currently the only bus approve, we can then offer concessions for provides services on one route, from the Continued on page 2 service operating from the airport. 2 PHUKET GAZETTE PHUKET NEWS November 12 - 18, 2011 Officials blasted for Business Base wage won’t rock blockade inaction the boat on seafood By Chutharat Plerin ers will then escort the clients to prices. Page 11 the front of the resort and check PHUKET Tourist Association the voucher that the tourists have Environment (PTA) Vice President Bhuritt by themselves,” said Mr Bhuritt. Cleanup shows Phuket Maswongsa has lashed out “They are acting like they are against local authorities for their working for the hotel and taking coral not as trashy as it failure to stop taxi drivers from care of the clients themselves,” he used to be. Page 16 dictating to Phuket resorts who added. can and cannot pick up guests “The officials who should be Books from their hotels. taking responsibility for this prob- Funny girl Tina Fey tells Mr Bhuritt’s rail against the lem have not stepped up to say Phuket regime of “transport co- this is against the law,” he said. all about who’s the real operatives” comes after a driver “They should take action over ‘Bossypants’. Page 18 was refused entry to the the checkpoint being on a public Naithonburi Beach Resort to pick Bhuritt Maswongsa road – it is against the law. They up two Russian tourists on No- should be acting against this kind Entertainment vember 1. 26 tour companies that are al- of activity, which I would call ‘un- Thai reggae master “I have heard about the block- lowed to collect guests from the lawful occupation’,” he explained. Job2Do to play Nai ade at the Naithonburi. I do not resort, but drivers or representa- “Months ago, Pranai Suwanna- know much about it in detail, but tives from any other companies rat, then-Deputy Interior Ministry Yang Beach. Page 19 I do know that last week the PTA are refused entry by the taxi driv- Permanent Secretary, came to received a written complaint from ers who guard the “checkpoint”. Phuket to hear what can be done Property a tour agency,” Mr Bhuritt told the “In the cases where the driver about tourists being cheated.” Gazette. is in an unmarked vehicle and has “Now he is the Permanent Sec- A new form of ‘Privilege’ According to the complaint, only a list of names of the tourists retary at the Interior Ministry and rises high in the hills of local taxi drivers specifically listed he is to pick up, the local taxi driv- still nothing has changed,” he said. Patong. Page 25 Sport Pickup truck hit-and-run China gold at FIVB. Cricket All Stars in ACG opener. Pages 41-44 slams woman into ravine POLICE are searching for the driver of a pickup truck that was involved in a hit and run on the More buses coming to Phuket Chalong-Kata Hill last Sunday. Witnesses reported seeing the From page 1 all buses be air conditioned, seat pickup collide with a motorbike, no more than 30 passengers and resulting in the woman rider port-Kamala-Kata route,” he said. have room for tourists’ luggage plunging over the edge of the steep As one of the new routes will Both the Airport-Rawai bus and slope and landing in a ravine about run from the airport to Patong and the Airport-Patong-Kata-Karon bus eight meters deep. Kata, the revised route will termi- are to run 32 trips (16 each way) a The accident was at precisely nate in Kamala, he explained. day. The maximum fare will be 70 the same location where a tour bus “We got approval for this route baht on the Rawai bus and 71 baht full of Chinese tourists skidded when I was chief here a few years Kata-Karon bus. The minimum and went off the side of the road ago. At that time, no bus owner fare on either bus will be 18 baht. on October 22. bid for this route because they “Airport limousines cannot pro- According to the police report, Rescue workers recover Ms Jitra from the ravine. Photo: Sayun Thummaphun were afraid of being attacked. test because it is our duty to witnesses described the pickup as “We arrived to find 51-year-old “The rain made it very difficult “This time the situation has arrange transport services for the a “white or bronze colored Toyota Jitra Puenrak lying at the bottom to get her back up from the ra- changed.